Boeing faces strike threat as union members vote on tentative labor deal today

Boeing faces a crucial union vote tonight that could send 33,000 union members out on strike, even though union leadership and the company have reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract to avoid a walk-out.

Little has gone right for Boeing over the last five years. By this time tomorrow, the troubled company could add another mess to its growing list of problems: A massive strike by 33,000 of its workers that could stop airplane production at America’s largest exporter and deal a blow to the US economy. Boeing faces a crucial union vote tonight that could send workers walking off the job at a parts center in Oregon and two airplane factories and a fabricating plant in the Seattle area. The strike may take place even though the workers’ union and the company have reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract to avoid a walk-out. Among other benefits increases, the contract would increase union members’ pay by last least 25% over four years. Union leadership, in announcing the tentative agreement Sunday, called it “the best contract we’ve negotiated in our history.” But workers are angry: They feel they were pressured to agree to two deals years ago that stripped them of their traditional pension plans and made them pay more for health insurance. The union agreed to those unpopular deals in past years, when Boeing was reporting strong profits. The union agreed to concessions at the time because it was concerned Boeing would shift union jobs to nonunion plants that the company was threatening to build. Worker anger has also built up from years of problems that have been variously tragic, embarrassing and financially devastating for Boeing. Those problems include two fatal crashes that killed 346 people, a 20-month grounding of its best-selling jet, and a door plug blowing off an Alaska Airlines flight this past January because the plane left a factory without the four bolts needed to hold it in place. Boeing earlier this year pleaded guilty to criminal charges that it deceived regulators. Since last reporting a profit in 2018, Boeing has piled up more than $33 billion in core operating losses, and its credit rating has fallen near “junk” status. Union members have launched a series of protests this week outside of Boeing plants and may ultimately reject the new contract union leaders negotiated with Boeing management. If they reject the deal, they could vote to go on strike early Friday.