Boeing Workers Vote To Strike In 2 Days

Machinists Approve 2nd Strike In 3 Years, But Give Management 48 More Hours

(AP)  Boeing Co. aircraft assembly workers voted overwhelming to reject the company's contract offer and strike for an unprecedented second time in three years.

Their walkout was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on Thursday but was put on hold after their expiring contract - covering more than 27,000 workers - was extended 48 hours at the request of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and a federal mediator.

Machinists District Lodge 751 President Tom Wroblewski and chief machinists' negotiator Mark Blondin said, however, that if Boeing doesn't come back with an acceptable deal within 48 hours, the strike is on.

The vote late Wednesday was 87 percent in favor of a strike as unanimously recommended by machinists' union negotiators. Under union rules, a strike requires at least two-thirds support from those voting.

In separate balloting, union members also voted 80 percent to reject Boeing's third and final three-year contract offer, which included pay raises averaging 11 percent.

Boeing's three-year "best and final" offer included bonuses totaling at least $5,000, raises averaging 11 percent, pension increases and a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment - $34,000 in average pay and benefit gains per employee, according to the company.

[whatever091]

now thats what im talking about

[naogirl8]

All these people talking about you would gladly take the job at Boeing and work the contract that is on the table do like whatever091 said and get an app and go for it. How can you do the job if you can''t even fill out an application. I say until you walk in our shoes you need to stop flapping you jaws.

[whatever091]

come on people think. who holds boeing accountable for their ways?..the people do if there were no union we would be losing more money in the economy and if we ship it over seas we lose more but boeing makes more well atleast the ceo''s do. and like i said before, if it were not for the union we would all be making less and that includes you. good way to look at it is if your company was wanting to ship your job over seas or take pensions or health care away from you...basically take money from your hand and keep it in their hand, you would say "they should just ship my job over seas"??? or "those people should quit gripping they get paid good (meaning you)", and if you tried to fight for your job and more money ect. you would say "break those unions"...wait they dont have one so the company can do what ever they want to you.???...boeing has its place and so do unions. and not one of them is perfect. so we need to keep both in check.

[lewiston14]

Want to know something I hope they ship every company off shore Then we dont have to worry about paying anybody, tax, nothing. US wants US gets we all get that welfare check

[im_4_wwjd]

God says its time to bust the unions!

Posted by gophockeymom at 11:40 AM : Sep 04, 2008
________________
Actually gop_forever, I believe it was Ronald Reagan''s idea first.

[im_4_wwjd]

The unions will be the death of businesses. And if the democrats take over the government the unions will be even more in control.

Posted by chatmandu002 at 01:51 PM : Sep 04, 2008
_____________________
Yes the unions are partly to blame, BUT the CEOs with their multimillion $$ salaries share at least equal, if not more fault. The suits havew been taking and taking and sending overseas more and more; and for what? To show their shareholders more dividend and themselves more pocket $$, new ring for wifey, larger house, and lavish gifts for their spoiled kids and grandkids.

It would be different if they were giving the extra $$ to the homless shelter or soup kitchens to help support thoise they have put out of work, But they don''t.

Think of this for a minute: for each $1M a CEO gets for compensation he/she could hire 20 people for say $40K each and still have $200K to cover the costs of insurance and pensions a year. Do the math and consider each CEO in America making over $4M per year reducing his pay to $1M. Corporate America giving up the luxury boxes at the sports arenas, naming stadiums, corporate air and travel business or commercial.

I think the union workers should have accepted the boeing contract, it does sound profitable for them.

[chatmandu002]

The unions will be the death of businesses. And if the democrats take over the government the unions will be even more in control.

[mawskrat]

labor negotiations are one big game,we will see who flinches first.lol

[whatever091]

SO LETS LET THE UNION STAY? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? I MEAN IF THEY WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY LETS LIFT THEM UP, CUZ THAT MEANS THEY WOULD BE SPENDING MORE AND THAT WHAT WE NEED.

[mawskrat]

why some folks want to drag others down instead of trying to lift themselves up is what I don''t get

[whatever091]

I THINK YOU SHOULD SEE A SRINK, THOSE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD ARE GETTING LOUDER. BUT YOU WILL BE OK.

[whatever091]

BLAH BLAH BLAH.

[whatever091]

SORRY LETS START AGAIN. BOEING MADE 14BILLION AND WANT TO GIVE WHAT COMES OUT TO 900MILLION TO 27.000 PEOPLE PLUS. now over the life of the contract that would make people barly break even. and with cost of living going up and gas ect. and with the 13bill boeing will pocket, that is not fair. now if the union were to break apart, that would leave all you people making min wage in a world of you know what, because if other smaller companies saw that they would treat their people the same way and try to get over on you. and by the way if you could get more money wouldnt you??!! and for those saying they would gladly work at boeing and take whatever they are offering wich by the way new heirs get somewhere between 10-14 an hour start out...go get an app and see if they will heir you. or YOU QUIT YOUR WHINNING.

[mawskrat]

BlogThis1....there is a name for people like you

[mawskrat]

airbus is not without it''s problems with IG Metall union and with the euro so high Boeing will benefit from higher sales

[whatever091]

ok people.
boeing made 14 BILLION AND THEY WANT TO GIVE

[mawskrat]

I support my union brother and sisters....IUOE
a scab is a nasty thing

[yellow651]

Hey. you guys don''t think you make enough at Boeing? I''ll take your current contract and you can have mine. You guys are the highest paid in the industry and all you are going to do with this stupid strike is cripple the company that takes care of you. They are laughing in France.

[prolegomena]

This was the best deal in the aerospace industry. There is nothing comparable to it anywhere in the nation. This strike vote is insane... the union leaders have whipped up our people into a frenzy, fed them false data, and are now leading the lemmings over the cliff. So very, very sad.

[mjvw2]

know someone who works for Boeing. He carries 50 lb trays of metal parts up three story metal stairways and empties huge rolling containers of heavy metal parts in between trips up to the planes. This is backbreaking work, with supervisors on deadlines hanging over his head, if he stops to get a drink or recoup his energy. He comes home filthy and depleted. If you work for Boeing, you need your union representation and your pension, because they have employees whose sole job is to get rid of anyone they work to the ground, and who can''''t do the heavy manual labor any longer.

Posted by httpwwwnews

and now he''ll be out of work and ******** that his unemployment check isn''t big enough