Photo: Reuters
Striking workers at Boeing voted in favor of the company's latest contract proposal on Monday, bringing an end to a more than seven-week strike that highlighted the discontent among the workforce of the struggling aviation giant. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751, which had previously rejected two offers, approved the new proposal with 59 percent support, according to the union. This decision will allow approximately 33,000 workers in the Seattle area to return to their jobs and resume operations at two major assembly plants. The contract includes a 38 percent wage increase, a $12,000 signing bonus, and measures to boost employer contributions to a 401K retirement plan while also addressing health care costs. However, the contract did not reinstate Boeing's former pension plan, a demand that had been particularly important to older workers.
Jon Holden, the head of the Seattle union, characterized the contract as a victory for workers who were determined to make up for over a decade of stagnant wages resulting from previous negotiations that had left many rank-and-file workers frustrated. "The strike will end, and now it's our job to get back to work and start building the airplanes, increase the rates, and bring this company back to financial success," Holden stated at a news conference. "I'm proud of our members," he added. "They've achieved a lot, and we're ready to move forward."
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