Boeing strike enters third week

The strike by workers against Boeing, the world's largest maker of passenger jets, entered its third week with the company determined to force unacceptable conditions on its 32,000 employees, members of the International Association of Machinists. Thousands of Boeing workers have been staffing the picket lines in three US states since the strike began on October 6. Workers held a mass rally outside the company's head office in Seattle, Washington, on October 11. Boeing is attempting to force workers to sign contracts that would require them to pay for their health insurance, cut the health entitlements to retired workers, and virtually freeze retirees' pensions. Workers are also angry at Boeing's practice of shifting work to non-union factories in the US and other parts of the world. Boeing's bosses are refusing to negotiate. Eleven thousand workers, previously laid off from Boeing, have been sent letters asking them to cross the picket lines and resume work. Boeing is threatening to withdraw these former workers' preference for re-employment if they refuse. The strike is beginning to hurt Boeing. Despite employing management and scabs to paint planes and carry out finishing tasks, several deliveries — each worth millions — have been postponed.

From GLW issue 209