Striking Boeing Workers Reject Improved Offer Of 35 Pct Pay Rise

SAN JOSE (California), Oct 24 (Bernama-dpa) -- Striking Boeing workers turned down the aircraft manufacturer's improved offer of a 35 per cent pay raise over four years, meaning the strike, which has paralysed the production of the bestselling 737 model and the long-haul jet 777, continues, the German news agency (dpa) reported.

The vote showed 64 per cent of the rank and file opposed management's increased offer, the IAM union said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Ten years of holding workers back unfortunately cannot be undone quickly or easily, but we will continue to negotiate in good faith until we have made gains that workers feel adequately make up for what the company took from them in the past," union leaders Jon Holden and Brandon Bryant said in the joint statement, which followed the vote tally.

The workers had previously rejected the first Boeing offer of a 25 per cent increase by nearly 95 per cent.

The new offer also included a one-time payment of US$7,000 as well as retention of bonus payments that were originally to be abolished.

The strike started in mid-September.

Boeing recently announced plans to cut 10 per cent of jobs. Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg did not specify the exact number of positions to be axed, but stated that at the beginning of 2024, the aircraft manufacturer had a workforce of roughly 170,000 employees.

Ortberg explained that the company needs to align its workforce with its financial reality.

The IAM has around 33,000 members at Boeing. The union last went on strike in 2008. That stoppage lasted 57 days and reportedly cost the company around US$2 billion.

The union said it plans to send new dates to the management for further negotiations.

-- BERNAMA-dpa