Boeing set for crunch vote in strike dispute
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents over 30,000 Boeing staff, will hold a ballot on Monday.
Workers at crisis-hit Boeing are set to vote on a fresh pay offer from the US planemaker after seven weeks of strike action.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents over 30,000 Boeing employees, will hold a ballot on Monday.
The union has previously called for a 40 per cent pay rise for its machinists, but the current offer sits at 38 per cent. It has so far rejected two offers, including a pay hike of 36 per cent.
The latest deal also includes a £9,300 bonus payout for the workers, up from a previously tabled £5,417.
“It is time for our members to lock in these gains and confidently declare victory,” IAM said in a post on X. “We believe asking members to stay on strike longer wouldn’t be right as we have achieved so much success.”
The union added: “In every negotiation and strike, there is a point where we have extracted everything that we can in bargaining and by withholding our labor. We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future.”
In a statement, Boeing said: “We encourage all of our employees to learn more about the improved offer and vote on Monday, November 4.”
It is thought the offer will see average annual pay rise to just over £90,000 over the next four years.
A conclusion to the dispute would be a major relief for Boeing, which has been engulfed in crisis throughout this year since the door panel of one of its 737 Max jets blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
The incident sparked investigations from the US government and regulators, and saw hundreds of Boeing jets grounded.
Shares have fallen nearly 40 per cent this year to date, while rival Airbus, which has struggled amid wider supply chain issues impacting the sector, are up 0.23 per cent.
Boeing is currently in the process of laying off around 17,000 workers, with the first redundancies set to begin in mid-November.
In October, it announced plans to raise as much as £27bn via a credit agreement and share sale, in a bid to boost its struggling balance sheet.
The recent industrial action has cost Boeing nearly $10bn (£7.74bn), according to some estimates.
