Posted on 09/01/2005 8:38:22 PM PDT by anymouse
Boeing Co. Machinists voted Thursday to strike as union members overwhelmingly rejected a three-year contract proposal their leaders had deemed "insulting." Union members voted 86 percent in favor of a strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. local time Friday. Under union rules, the contract would have been automatically ratified -- and workers would have stayed on the job -- unless two-thirds of the union members voted to strike.
The strike will affect about 18,400 Machinists who assemble Boeing's commercial airplanes and some key components in the Seattle area, Gresham, Ore., and Wichita, Kan.
Company officials said earlier in the week that a strike would be devastating, forcing the company to slowly shut down commercial airplane production.
Leaders of the Seattle-based Machinists Lodge 751 had urged its members to "reject this insulting Boeing proposal," saying it fell woefully short on top issues including pension payments and increased health care costs. District Lodge 751 is negotiating for employees in all three states, although some terms differ based on location.
Chicago-based Boeing has defended its retirement proposal as one of the best in the industry, and the company said that despite some medical-cost increases it would continue to shoulder the bulk of workers' health care costs.
The union last went on strike in 1995, when workers walked out for 69 days.
Great timing guys.
Fire them all and move overseas. I'm sick and f'n tired of union bullsh*t.
Last time I checked the govt had not suspended the right to strike.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
What a crock. These thugs only are striking now because they believe they have the edge over management. Somehow I see Lockheed moving ahead of Boeing with this type of employee working for Boeing.
Fire them all and move overseas.
__________________________________________________
I assume you mean moving the jobs overseas? I wonder if there are enough people willing to cross the lines and work - this, plus hiring more people could break this strike.
I agree the best solution would be to fire them all. Ah the glory days of Reagan and PATCO.
Good move. Airbus needs the orders. Boobs.
Their timing is as good as when the cook on the Edmumd
Fitzgerald said tO his fellow crew members:
"GOOD BYE! ITS BEEN GOOD TO KNOW'YA!"
Buy EUroPuke.
Reagan knew how to deal with them.
Stupid union rats.
The Euros are about to steal their last market and these fools go on strike. They are aready paid better than 98% of america's working people.
This may well be the end of aircraft maufacture in the USA.
Given away to the French.
Move operations out of liberal states and hire new NON-Union workers.
Last I checked real Americans pull together and don't add fuel to a burning economic crisis. Many people feel fortunate to have a good job without destroying the balance sheet.
I wanted to see the kind of comments this would generate. I work for the big B but am not in the machinist union. This is the worst contract they have had offered to them in the 20 years I have been there. The company basically didn't address any of their issues. Here you have a goup of employees saying it is not about the money. they aren't asking for raises or bonuses. They want to improve the retirement plan. So what does the company offer? The lowest increase in the retirement plan in 50 years and raises and bonuses.
China salivates.
There could be 250K+ displaced citizens in which more than enough capable people could be found to take those jobs. Otherwise I would bet there are a large number who'd be more than happy to learn.
Ping.
Hooters is buying planes from Airbus?
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