Boeing workers strike after rejecting contract offer
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Workers with picket signs outside a Boeing manufacturing facility during a strike in Renton, Washington, on Friday, Sept. 13. Photo: M. Scott Brauer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Thousands of Boeing workers walked off the job Friday after members of the aircraft maker's biggest union overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer late Thursday and voted to strike.
Why it matters: The work stoppage comes as the embattled aerospace titan is trying to ramp up production and improve its image after its reputation took a hit following a series of quality and safety issues.
The big picture: The previous contract between the company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union expired at midnight. It covered a vast majority of the 33,000 Seattle-area machinists who construct Boeing's 737, 777 and 767 jets.
- Boeing and the union reached a tentative agreement on Sept. 8 that included 25% pay rises over a four-year contract, after the IAM pushed for a 40% increase.
- While union leaders supported ratifying the agreement, Machinist union district 751 president Jon Holden told the Seattle Times he expected it to be "voted down" and for members to go on strike.
What we're watching: "The message was clear that the tentative agreement we reached with IAM leadership was not acceptable to the members," a Boeing spokesperson said in an emailed statement early Friday.
- "We remain committed to resetting our relationship with our employees and the union, and we are ready to get back to the table to reach a new agreement."
What they're saying: "This is about fighting for our future," Holden said after the vote.
- "We will be back at the table whenever we can get there to drive forward on the issues our members say are important."
Zoom out: Boeing has faced scrutiny over quality and safety issues of its 737 MAX 9 following a mid-flight door plug blowout in January.
- In June, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a rare series of sanctions against Boeing after finding the aerospace giant "blatantly" violated federal investigative regulations.
- The NTSB said it's working with the Justice Department's fraud division, which is investigating whether Boeing breached its obligations under a 2021 settlement to avoid criminal charges stemming from two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people in total.
Go deeper: Boeing union wants a board seat and a say on plane safety
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
