Latest news with #InternationalAssociationofMachinistsandAerospaceWorkers
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Thousands of Boeing Employees Could Strike Next Week: What To Know?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More than 3,200 union workers at three St. Louis-area plants that produce U.S. fighter jets voted "overwhelmingly" to go on strike on Sunday after they rejected a proposed contract that included a 20 percent wage increase over four years. The company said it was preparing for a strike that the union said could begin on Aug. 4. Why It Matters The company has faced serious difficulties over recent years including several safety-related incidents. In March, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Boeing had lost the trust of the American people and needed strict oversight after a mid-air panel blowout on a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 airplane that was missing four key bolts and two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed in India last month killing 260 people. A strike late last year by machinists' union memes put a heavy toll on the company, compounding existing production issues and stalling the manufacturing of its key aircraft, including the 737 MAX, 767, and 777 models. Pro-union signs are pictured outside the Boeing Renton Production Facility on November 3, 2024. More than 3,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in the St. Louis area voted on Sunday... Pro-union signs are pictured outside the Boeing Renton Production Facility on November 3, 2024. More than 3,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in the St. Louis area voted on Sunday to go on strike. MoreWhat To Know The International Machinists and Aerospace Workers union, or IAM, said the vote by District 837 members was overwhelmingly against the proposed contract. The current contract was to expire at 11:59 p.m. CT on Sunday, but the union said a "cooling off" period would keep a strike from beginning for a week, until Aug. 4, according to The Associated Press. Union leaders had recommended approving Boeing's offer sent last week, calling it a "landmark" agreement that the offer would improve medical, pension and overtime benefits in addition to pay. Dan Gillian, Boeing's Air Dominance vice president, general manager and senior St. Louis Site executive said in an emailed statement that the company was disappointed that the Boeing employees voted down "the richest contract offer we've ever presented to IAM 837 which addressed all their stated priorities." The Boeing Air Dominance division produces several military jets, including the U.S. Navy's Super Hornet, as well as the Air Force's Red Hawk training aircraft. The division is expanding manufacturing facilities in the St. Louis area for the new U.S. Air Force fighter, the F-47, after it won the contract earlier this year. The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet program, initially conceived as a "family of systems" centered around a sixth-generation fighter jet, is meant to replace the F-22 Raptor. What People Are Saying Boeing's Air Dominance Vice President Gillian said in the statement: "We've activated our contingency plan and are focused on preparing for a strike. No talks are scheduled with the union." IAM said in a statement: "Union members delivered a clear message: the proposal from Boeing Defense fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce. Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future." What Happens Next The strike is due to begin after a one-week "cooling off" period, on Aug. 4.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Boeing workers reject contract, threaten strike at US fighter jet plants
ST. LOUIS: Workers at Boeing's fighter jet assembly plants in Missouri and Illinois have rejected the company's latest contract proposal, raising the threat of a strike that could disrupt production of key US military aircraft. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced Sunday that over 3,200 members voted against the offer, which included a 20 percent pay raise over four years and additional vacation days. The union stated the proposal failed to address job security concerns and worker priorities. 'IAM Union members delivered a clear message: the proposal from Boeing Defense fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled workforce,' the union said. With the current contract expiring Sunday, workers have a seven-day window to negotiate before a potential walkout. Boeing expressed disappointment, calling it the 'richest contract offer' ever presented to IAM 837. Dan Gillian, Boeing's vice-president of Air Dominance, confirmed the company is preparing for a strike, with no further talks scheduled. The labor dispute comes as Boeing works on a major US Air Force contract for next-generation F-47 fighter jets, awarded earlier this year. A prolonged strike could severely impact Boeing's defense operations, following last year's seven-week strike in Seattle that halted production at key facilities. IAM, one of North America's largest unions, represents workers across aerospace and defense sectors. - Reuters
Vancouver Sun
27-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: Turbulence ahead — the real impact of proposed deregulation of Canada's skies
On June 19, the Competition Bureau of Canada released its final report on airline industry competition: 'Cleared for takeoff: Elevating airline competition.' Its central recommendations? That Canada consider allowing foreign-owned airlines to operate domestic routes and re-evaluate current ownership limits. By proposing to eliminate cabotage restrictions and foreign ownership limits, the bureau's suggestions threaten to unravel the very infrastructure that sustains Canada's aviation sector, with devastating consequences for workers, communities and national sovereignty. As the union representing over 16,000 airport workers across the country, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers sees these proposals not as policy progress, but as a direct threat to Canadian jobs, an erosion of our national aviation infrastructure and a dangerous precedent for public policy driven by short-term economics instead of long-term, Canadian public interest. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The U.S. strictly prohibits foreign carriers from operating domestic routes, and other regions — like the European Union — only allow such access among member states. Opening our skies unilaterally would offer foreign carriers privileges they don't extend to us. While we recognize that the airline industry needs reform, deregulating access to our domestic market isn't reform. It's a retreat. Canada's aviation sector operates under complex constraints: vast geography, regional routes that are economically and logistically essential but unprofitable, and a regulatory environment already strained by fees and infrastructure gaps. The bureau's proposal to allow foreign carriers to fly domestic routes — also known as cabotage — assumes all competitors arrive equally burdened. They do not. No major nation, including the U.S., offers Canada the same access. Foreign airlines would be invited to pick the most profitable routes without contributing to the rest of the network. That's not competition. It's market cherry-picking, and it undermines the carriers and workers who keep the full system running. For thousands of Canadians, airport jobs are often unionized, come with decent wages, benefits and job security, and offer permanence increasingly rare in the broader labour market. Our members are the backbone of the aviation economy. Foreign operators with no commitment to Canada will just bring lower wages, fewer benefits and more precarious, outsourced labour. This isn't speculation — it's history. We've seen it deteriorate countless Canadian airlines — from Canada 3000 to Jetsgo to Canadian Airlines International — and there's no evidence this time will be different. What makes these recommendations particularly troubling is the lack of labour consultation throughout the bureau's study. Only one labour union was interviewed over the course of a 13-month process, despite the airline sector employing tens of thousands of unionized workers. While the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers provided a detailed written submission to the bureau, we were never interviewed. Without input from the front-line workforce, these policy recommendations lack the perspective needed to understand their full impact. Our airlines operate in one of the most challenging geographies on Earth. They serve small towns, remote communities and Indigenous territories where air travel isn't a luxury — it's a lifeline. Foreign carriers, with no long-term investment in our infrastructure or workforce, will swoop in for the profitable urban corridors — Toronto to Vancouver, Montreal to Calgary — leaving Canadian carriers to shoulder the financial burden of essential, unprofitable routes. Once weakened, Canadian carriers will collapse — and with them, thousands of jobs. If Ottawa opens the door to foreign operators without long-term obligations, what happens when those players exit the market in a downturn? Who ensures continued service to the north? Who remains accountable to Parliament? The answer can't be: 'Whoever's left.' If the goal is a better system, let's fix what's broken. We don't dispute that Canada's aviation system has problems. But they begin with issues that tend to be ignored: airport rent and landing fees, overburdened infrastructure, outdated navigation systems and underinvestment in regional access. Fixing these problems requires political will, not privatizing the problem and hoping it solves itself. Canada has a responsibility to foster competition that serves the Canadian public, not foreign corporations. That means strengthening our airlines, protecting our workers and building an aviation system rooted in resilience, not deregulation. These are national priorities, not global business opportunities to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers urges the Canadian government to reject the competition bureau's recommendations on cabotage and foreign ownership. These proposals may promise cheaper fares, but they will come at the cost of sovereignty, safety and economic stability. Our skies aren't for sale. And the people who keep them running shouldn't pay the price. David Chartrand is the Canadian general vice-president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents over 50,000 members in Canada. He has been involved in the labour movement for more than 35 years.
San Francisco Chronicle
27-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pratt & Whitney machinists end 3-week strike after approving a new contract
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — About 3,000 machinists at jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut approved a new four-year contract Tuesday, ending a three-week strike over wages, job security and other issues. Union members were expected to return to work Wednesday after 74% of them voted in favor of the new deal, according to locals 1746 and 700 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corp., makes engines for commercial and military jets, including the GTF line for Airbus commercial jets and the F135 for the military's F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft fleet. The union said the new contract, which runs to May 2029, guarantees continued operations at the company's East Hartford and Middletown plants through 2029. It also includes a 6% wage increase the first year, followed by raises of 3.5% in 2026 and 3% in both 2027 and 2028. Retirement benefits also were improved, the union said. 'This agreement includes real gains for our members and proves what we can accomplish when we stick together,' Wayne McCarthy, president of Local 700, said in a statement. The company said in a statement that the contract 'recognizes the skill and dedication of our workforce by keeping them among the highest compensated in their field, while ensuring the company is well-positioned for the future.' Union members began picketing in East Hartford and Middletown on May 5, after about 77% of union members voted to approve their first strike since 2001.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pratt & Whitney machinists end 3-week strike after approving a new contract
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — About 3,000 machinists at jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut approved a new four-year contract Tuesday, ending a three-week strike over wages, job security and other issues. Union members were expected to return to work Wednesday after 74% of them voted in favor of the new deal, according to locals 1746 and 700 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corp., makes engines for commercial and military jets, including the GTF line for Airbus commercial jets and the F135 for the military's F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft fleet. The union said the new contract, which runs to May 2029, guarantees continued operations at the company's East Hartford and Middletown plants through 2029. It also includes a 6% wage increase the first year, followed by raises of 3.5% in 2026 and 3% in both 2027 and 2028. Retirement benefits also were improved, the union said. 'This agreement includes real gains for our members and proves what we can accomplish when we stick together,' Wayne McCarthy, president of Local 700, said in a statement. The company said in a statement that the contract 'recognizes the skill and dedication of our workforce by keeping them among the highest compensated in their field, while ensuring the company is well-positioned for the future.' Union members began picketing in East Hartford and Middletown on May 5, after about 77% of union members voted to approve their first strike since 2001.
