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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2013)
Hoping Your Holidays Are Filled With Happiness ATPA Administrators of Employee Benefit Plans 7600 SW Mohawk St. Tualatin, OR 97062 503 454-3800 Fax: 503 454-3832 New round of contract talks at Boeing collapse A second round of bargaining be- tween the Machinists Union and Boe- ing Co. has proven to be unfruitful. Machinists District 751 presented a proposal to Boeing Dec. 11 that would have brought labor peace to the air- plane manufacturer for the next 16 years, with a guarantee that the 777X would be built in Washington state. Boeing rejected the offer out of hand, then countered the following day with a “best and final” offer that was little changed from a proposal workers rejected Nov. 13 by a more than 2-to-1- margin. The counteroffer was rejected by the union leadership. Several politicians, including Wash- ington Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D), criticized union lead- ership, saying that Boeing’s offer should be put to a vote. Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, Snohomish County Executive John Lovick, and Port of Everett Commis- sioner Troy McClelland went a step further, issuing a joint statement that not only called for the Machinists to hold an election — but also urging union members to vote in favor of Boe- ing’s offer. In turn, several hundred union members made it known via Facebook that they wanted a chance to vote on the new proposal. The action by politicians drew a critical response from Jeff Johnston, president of the Washington State La- bor Council. In a press statement, Johnson said that while the politicians are entitled to their opinions, “putting their opinions in a press statement is absolutely disrespectful to the Machin- ists and to the labor movement. That they expressed their views so publicly and so supportively of the company’s position reveals how little they under- stand and respect the collective bar- gaining process and the generations of sacrifice made by machinists to make this company prosperous.” District 751 officials posted a four- page document presented by Boeing Dec. 11 in which they identified only four changes from the company’s Nov. 13 offer. “And they weren’t signifi- cant,” said District 751 Directing Busi- ness Representative Tom Wroblewski. On top of the previously offered $10,000 signing bonus, employees would have received a bonus of $5,000, payable in 2020. Employees would have received additional dental benefits of $500 per person in 2020, and another $500 per person in 2024. Boeing withdrew an earlier demand tto slow the wage progression for new hires. The offer reverted to the status quo, which is that new hires go to the top of the pay scale in six years. The company also promised to ex- tend a “letter of understanding” that guaranteed Machinists would keep doing 737 MAX work until 2024, but it offered no contract language on it, leaving union officials uncertain as to how solid the guarantee was. “Every other item was exactly the same as the offer you rejected Nov. 13,” Wroblewski posted on the union’s website. As previously proposed, the long- term contract would have frozen the defined benefit pension plan, replac- ing it with a defined contribution sav- ings plan that was so vague, union of- ficials said they couldn’t explain to members how it would work. It (Turn to Page 17) (International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X) Established in 1900 at Portland, Oregon as a voice of the labor movement. 4275 NE Halsey St., P.O. Box 13150, Portland, Ore. 97213 Telephone: (503) 288-3311 Editor: Michael Gutwig Staff: Don McIntosh, Cheri Rice Published on a semi-monthly basis on the first and third Fridays of each month by the Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc., a non- profit corporation owned by 20 unions and councils including the Oregon AFL-CIO. Serving more than 120 union organizations in Ore- gon and SW Washington. Subscriptions $13.75 per year for union members. Group rates available to trade union organizations. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PORTLAND, OREGON. CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTICE: Three weeks are required for a change of address. When ordering a change, please give your old and new addresses and the name and number of your local union. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS, P.O. BOX 13150, PORTLAND, OR 97213-0150 DECEMBER 20, 2013 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 5
