ALBAWABA - Members of the union that represents Boeing's striking repair technicians will cast their votes on a new contract proposal coming Wednesday, the union said on Saturday. The deal, which includes a four-year, 35% pay hike, attempts to put an end to a walkout that has lasted more than a month.
The strike began on September 13 and has affected some 33,000 union workers, mostly in Washington state and other parts of the U.S. West Coast. Production of the 767 and 777 wide-body aircraft, as well as Boeing's best-selling 737 Max model, has been hampered by the work stoppage.
A $7,000 signing bonus, the reinstatement of an incentive scheme, and increased contributions to workers' 401(k) retirement plans are all part of Boeing's most recent offer. This also includes a $5,000 one-time payment and perhaps up to 12% in additional Boeing payments.
The union announced on social media that Julie Su, the interim U.S. Secretary of Labor, had supported a proposal that it had received. Union officials called the offer "worthy of review" and asked the striking employees to carefully examine it.
With the goal of saving $5 billion in expenses, Boeing said this week that it will lay off 17,000 employees worldwide, or 10% of its entire workforce. The business has had continuous difficulties, especially after an incident at an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft last year that further disrupted its operations.
