Boeing Machinists End Stike With Approval Of New Deal

Seattle, WA (AHN) - The 58-day strike by machinists working in Boeing Co. ended with the ratification of a four-year agreement over the weekend between the aircraft maker and 27,000 workers in Washington, Oregon and Kansas represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

About 74 percent of union members favored the contract. Machinists are expected to return work beginning Sunday night.

The new agreement protects over 5,000 factory jobs, prevents the outsourcing of certain positions, lifts pension payments and secures health care benefits. It also assures annual wage hikes totaling 15 percent and lumpsum payments totaling at least $8,000 per employee for four years.

Since the strike, which started Sept. 6, commercial aircraft production was put on hold, costing Boeing an estimated $100 million per day. The work stoppage halted and delayed deliveries of Boeing airplanes by months.

After the machinists, Boeing will start anew negotiations with its engineers and technical workers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, which expires Dec. 1.