(SEATTLE, WASHINGTON) - Tens of thousands of International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751 and W24 Members packed venues in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week to tell Boeing they are prepared to Strike if a fair contract is not reached.

The Strike sanction vote, which allows Union Members to receive benefits in the event of a Strike without delay, passed by a resounding 99.9%.

The contract expires on September 12th (2024).

District 751 members gathered at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park with a raucous crowd, hearing from IAM International President Brian Bryant, IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden.

District W24 Members gathered in Portland, Oregon and heard from IAM District W24 President and Directing Business Representative Brandon Bryant and Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor.

IAM District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden said: “We want the company to take our proposals seriously and bargain earnestly.  We don’t want to Strike - but we’re ready and willing to do so to bring home the best aerospace contract our Members have ever seen.  We aren’t just fighting for ourselves - we are fighting for everyone.  From our family members to the flying public, we want everyone to be proud of this company once again.  We are the watchdog with a unique opportunity to make things better for all.”

After years of input from Membership, and 16 years since the group’s last full contract negotiations with Boeing, the IAM District 751 and District W24 negotiating committee is pushing for many priorities, including: Increasing wages at least 40% over three to four years; Quality and safety measures that restore and grow quality control personnel and oversight of aircraft manufacturing; Restoring retirement security by reinstating the Defined-Benefit Pension Plan the company took away in 2014; Lowering out-of-pocket health care costs; Easing mandatory overtime and other work rules that negatively impact work-life balance; and Ensuring that Boeing’s next airplane is built in the Puget Sound region.

The Strike sanction vote is a critical momentum builder for the IAM as negotiations, which began in March, gain steam. 

“Boeing makes billions of dollars off the skills, hard work, and dedication of our Members,” IAM International President Brian Bryant said. “Our Members deserve their fair share.  They’ve earned their fair share.  And the time has finally come when they will get their fair share.”

IAM District 751 represents more than 30,000 Boeing Production Workers in the Puget Sound Region, while District W24 represents about 1,200 who work at Boeing’s Parts Plant in Portland.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: ‘We are Fighting for Everyone’: IAM Sends Loud Message to Boeing in 99.9% Strike Sanction Approval - IAMAW (goiam.org)