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October 21st 2008
Most excellent!! Some good news to bring out to the lines tomorrow!
Not to get too excited....our fingers are crossed!
Good luck Tom, Mark & the rest of the bargaining team!
On behalf of the Brothers and Sisters holding the line in So. Cal
In solidarity
I wish since we as a barganing unit are fighting out sourcing would look at the subcontracting issues we have happening here in wichita already . Brothers and sisters, and particularly those of us who have been working at boeing for a substantial amount of time, I hired into Boeing over two decades ago. Literally, I have spent my life supporting company initiatives, working unexplainable quantities of hours, enduring and seeing others endure hard times of labor downturns and poor managerial decisions. But, this takes the cake! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Fort-five plus days and the Boeing Company is once again "coming Back to the bargaining table". Please, Please, Please bring up the issue of shorter progression steps! I am a new employee at Boeing, I was hired in of April this year... Coming in to the company as a past store mangager for Zumiez (an everett based skateboard company.) I longed to start a real career. Making 12.72 an hour is just not cutting it! and for me to top out at 29.00 in 7 years is just not fair! I work along side people making way more than me and sorry to say, but I feel that I work just as hard as them, if not harder! I say again, that this is the biggest reason I decided to strike against this company! Boeing has billions of dollars in profits, they need to share this with the poeple who made and continue to make that happen!!!! I will stay out as long as it takes to secure a substantial increase in the PENSION ALT. FORMULA and the elimination of the early retirement penalty. The longer we stay on strike the more the contract incentives need to increase i.e. signing bonus,yearly bonuses,any insurance premiums we incurred when we were on strike etc. Also, thankyou for all the work you negotiators do for us members. The traveling, being away from your loved ones and keeping your composier during discussions with the Boeing negotiation team. I know you would probably want to reach across the table and cuff them all up along side their heads but you negotiators keep it cool. Stay strong and focused as you meet with these GREEDY company bastards. Good job and my prayers are with you all. I have read many comments on mynw.com and heard many commenets from people who tell me to just accept anything and get back to work. I am totally apauld at all of it. Most of them only heard one side, Boeing's side of it, but of course. So, I had to set them all straight. I told them not all of us made $30 an hour. And thoes people who made the comment about us factory people, McNernery and Kight. It is not us Machinist who are giving Boeing a bad reputation, who do you think built their planes to give them their billions and reputation in the first place. October 20th 2008 So, we now see how the first round of negotiations went. The talk from Kight about "open" and "transparent" negotiations were obviously flawed, flawed as much as the 787 debacle. Did Boeing at the start of the first round of talks keep that in mind? Did Boeing really bargain in good faith? As a retired inspector and supervisor I think it is important to hold onto your demands. Think about the ones that are very important and do not give in. Boeing is in a bad position due to all the upper managements failure to understand who butters thier bread. I would like to understand what are we looking for in terms of an agreement that will put us back to work? I understand the out sourcing of work being a strong issue.I am an MPRF so i know my job is on the line and has been.I don't want to see vendors coming in and doing my job or anyone else's.Other than the outsourcing and job security what other issue's are we holding the line for?I would like to see a little more improvement in retirement and lump sum for the next 3 years.Are we held up in the negotiation's on wording of new contract?What new take aways are there compared to our old contract.Hope i'm making sence and just want to have a better idea on where we stand on the issue's for being on strike.Thank-you Please do not put anything back to us unless it is truely a good contract. I keep hearing people say they would take anything but a very small percentage. They are not crossing the lines thou. We need to make sure that we improve everything this time such as contract language, benefits, wage, pention, etc.... So, I beg you do not offer us anything but the best, we have gone this long we can continue to go. Why don't we negotiate a weekly paycheck as something new? In California people get paid weekly...why can't we in the Pacific N.W.? I am a 35 year IAM retired employee & my Dad was a tool & die maker like myself. He & my Mom were married in 1947, a year before the 6 month strike in 1948 & they made it, along with thousands of other Boeing workers. Many before us fought for what we take for granted now. I know its tough for some brothers and sisters, but there is plenty of work out there to get by. In 1948, they struck for 140 days so we could have a better life today. Just 3 years ago, we struck so our newest members of the family could have retiree medical. Strikes are never easy and it is what we have to do to get the Company to respect us. Lets keep together for as long as it takes until Boeing meets our demands. It's Our Time, they just don't want to accept that fact. No one in the world can get up to speed fast enough to build these planes, so all the rumors of moving are unfounded. This is McBoeing we are dealing with and it won't be long until the stockholders reclaim their company back. One McNearney at a time. October 11th 2008 Read the article in PI by s**b writer James Wallace---It
puts a different spin on the cause of the strike.He says that because
of the Strike that Boeing wont be able to deliver the 787 in the
3rd quarter of 2009 and will have to be moved to 1st quarter of
2010. So now I believe that Boeing wanted the strike so they could
cover up the fact that because of production problems they blame
the delay on the strike My wife and I Kim stopped by the Oak Harbor Freight
Picket line today Friday Oct. 10 located in Burlington, WA. These
guys are fighting for the same as we the Machinists District 751
and I think they would be most Greatful for your support and a visit.
Monday-Friday until the Scabs bring the trucks back in (about 6:00
P.M.). They are a bunch of really great guys holding the line and
not giving into the Company. There is alot of support for these
guys and it gave us, my wife and I, a much needed boost too. Stay
strong and don't give up the fight. It is hard to think that there
are alot of people counting on us right now. Their eyes are on us.
Not just the familys of the Machinist but entire communities. These
people know that we hold up the standard of living in all the communities
were we live. They were most greatful for our visit and please give
them your support. Stay Strong and hold the line for Retiree's Medical
and Pension, Health Care for all, Job Security,! The following two paragraphs are from a news story reguarding going back to the table with Boeing. Both are statements from Doug Kight. The first statement is a complete lie. The second paragraph is "CODE" for telling us that Doug does not want to give an inch to us! Too bad I say! This must be a complete victory for our union. We must make up any and all lost ground since 1995 for our union to stay strong into the future. We cannot afford to get any weaker!
Boeing lead negotiator Doug Kight said the company has kept the lines of communications open with the union. "Any agreement must allow us to remain competitive and provide the flexibility to manage our business," Kight said in a statement. I think Boeing is committed to stay out on strike for 45 days. they are just playing along with the Union. so that they will be ready to make us another offer with things moved around- but still the same old thing. if i was the union i would think about whether i even wanted to negotiate seriously with Boeing because i dont think they have any intention of seriously negotiating with us. they are just playing the game. we aught to go to the table and tell them just exactly what we want and when they decide to agree to that then we will continue to talk, then just get up and walk out. I think they are so far out of the main streem they dont have a clue. I have heard it said that of all the big corperations out there that Boeing has the worst management of them all. Excuses, Excuses, Excuses and that is what I keep hearing from the company. The company blames the machinists for the poor decisions that management has made. The company should be thankful for having a good workforce here to build the best airplanes on earth. If you go back to the table dont come back with a bad offer----walkaway and we will stand strong until they are willing to address our concerns--godspeed Today, Goldman Sachs analyst Richard Safran lowerd his firms forcast for Boeing's aircraft deliveries in 2009, and predicted production rate cuts. As you may remember, it was the same firm that downgraded Boeing just days before the share value trust payout, costing employees thousands of dollars each in company stock awards. Frankly, I believe it's time for District 751 and the IAM international to call for an SEC investigation into Goldman Sachs and Richard Safran. This firm/individual seem to pop up at crucial moments, and always to the detriment of Boeing's workforce in general, and it's unions in particular. It has chose to surface yet again and a crucial moment, the resumption of talks between district 751 and the Boeing company. Up to this point, Boeing has been steadfast in it's statements
that it's order book would hold. Now one man, and one firm, seeks to interfere in the negotiating process and inject fear into the memebership. And it should not be forgotten that Goldman Sachs is one of the firms who infinite wisdom is crushing our economy. I'm not buying the trash Richard Safran and Goldman Sachs is selling. Next week, Boeing reports earnings. If Mr. McNerney and Mr. Bell parrot Mr. Safran's predictions, we should all know why. Is the leadership of the company willing to make claims of dire circumstances,and destroy the value of the stock, to inspire fear and intimidate us? It's very possible Many of us have been through layoffs. and we survived. If we let fear rule our every decision, we would have nothing. The company was able to inject enough fear into the 2002 negotiations to damage us substantially. We cannot permit this to happen again. We are engaged now in an epic fight to correct or eliminate provisions we were forced to take in 2002. I urge all members to not take counsel of fear, and ignore Goldman Sachs, and predicitions of rate cuts. If those cuts come, they will come, regardless of the outcome of this contract. Don't be manipulated. 2,500+$2,500 (to swallow our job security and sign without thinking) did not phase us in September. Now, that we have been drug through the mud of wage lost it certainly won't satisfy us at this point. We need $9,000. to go back in to those factories at the end of October, and $12,000 to go back at the end of November, and . And lets not call it a bonus. It is a just a fraction of the Billions that we made. I am encouraged by all the remarks here calling for a regection of any offer that is not up to par. I hope that the Union will not try to bring an offer that is subpar also. Better retirement benefits $100.00 per year of service. No take aways in insurance, especially for retirees. COLA that we have already earned. .40 cents per hour for past 3 months. Fairer (shorter) progression through pay grades. Raises for everyone in progression not just the bottom. In short everything that we walked for in the beginning and NOTHING LESS. Now that Boeing is coming back to the bargining table. I just wanted to say again I realize there is a lot of talk about the insurance, and out sourcing issues, but please dont forget those that have been working just as hard and been treated unfairly when rehired in their wages. We need and diserve the same raise that new hires would get from this contract so not just a raise for the people at the bottom of the pay scale but an equal adjustment for everyone still in progression is fair. Without this someone that hires in as a new hire could be making nearly as much as someone that was rehired and has 30 years experience working in their career. This is not a fair way for Boeing to treat its employees and will cause me to vote to reject any new offer with out this. McNurdie needs to bone-up on how Aireo--planes are
built----It's not easy to just pack-up and leave the Northwest and
build them anywhere----Remind him that he is not building Post-Its
any more--It takes more skill to build airplanes than note pads. October 10th 2008 Good website but I am disapointed that you have not responded the the anti union e-mail comments by the CEO of the boeing company.It is pretty pathsedic when an outsider take over the company and before very long is helpful in making bad decessions that puts the the delivery of aircraft behind. They are behind in deliverys because of the mismanagment of the Company.The comments about picking up and moving are overstated.They have tried that for years and it does not work. Thats why encountering problems repeatly. It probably would be easier to replace one CEO than to replace 27000 highly educated skilled workers that build the BEST AIRCRAFTS in the WORLD.In the selection process choose a person that understands the Complexity of building aircraft---- It would be nice if we do get any kind of bonus money in the new contract, that this figure would start at the average loss of wages of the union members or some other formula our union leaders can come up with. It would be nice for once to get a true bonus instead of just recovering lost wages due to the strike. This is not a complaint but only an observation. I believe in God, America and the Union. So keep up the good work and let's all stay strong.... Please begin telling the newer union members that
Boeing will lowball their offer hoping that enough are desperate
to make payments. This is a time to go for the throat. Remind them
that the last thing that most banks want now is another house or
vehicle they have to sell. Plus, is it not our banking friends that
are the cause of much of the current chaos in financial markets? I see that the latest message posted on the unions web site DOES NOT reflect all the members in good standing. As I and others have said repeatedly that we need a reasonable contract for all(company and union). Here is a novel idea, go ahead and threaten to move again and hold the state hostage to get another tax break to build the next 737. I emplore my union to reach out to Airbus Executives and invite them into our state where we have the people and skills to help them compete against a Company who doesn't respect the work we do for them. Go ahead Boeing, make your threats and i'm sure our union will follow you whereever you go and organize that workforce as well. You can run, but you can't hide. Dont settle for anything less than 100% satisfaction. Get retirees a raise, and stop this smoking ban. Dont forget how angree we are........... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Nooooooooooooo DEAL unless the new contact meets the following conditions: (1) Pension should be at least $100, not the $80 the company is currently offering. Many of you probably want to retire before age 60; you will lose 2% a year when retiring before age 60. (2) COLA for a future retirees so that we can at least remain even with inflationary pressures in our golden years. (3) No takeaways for our medical plans. Eliminate all employee co-payments and annual premiums. October 9th 2008
Now, we have to ensure that we do not take steps backward and can protect our futures. We have the "right stuff" to build these planes and even w/ the threats of moving out of state, the company would need years to get people up to speed to actually do it right...at what real cost to the company? Please keep fighting for us. I'm not overly optimistic about the resumption of talks. I think Boeing just wants to yank our chain again. Nevertheless, don't make me vote on anything less than a stellar offer. I have been consistent from day 1. A vote on a mediocre offer that has only marginal chances of acceptance would do much more harm than good. Please spare us the pain of a 1995 replay. I'm ready to stay out much, much longer. I hope our pre-conditions for resuming talks were at very least that an improved offer was required, and that NO issues be off the table. I will also say this with all the conviction I can muster, that if the company leaks any specifics of negotiations, or makes public any offer before the union presents it to us, talks should be instantly terminated. Get back all of our Health take aways we gave since
9-11 Union leaders please do not accept less than we deserve? If the Boeing negotiators try and pass the same offer, or a similiance of that last one, on us please do not bring it to us? We really mean it when we say it is our time now! Get up from the table and walk away tell them the union will not
settle for anything less than what we deserve. Just walk away? And,
when you walk. You have this union behind you!! DO NOT GIVE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please do not give a inch on the Alt. formula for our pension and demand the company drop the early retirement penalty. No extended contract. Like James Bell told Wall Street. “30 days would be nice†Don’t be played like a puppet, Hold out for the BIG BUCKS. Thanks for all that you do! I told you to your face at the truth rally 3 or so
years ago, that i wouldn't be voting for any contracts that have
take aways, well i didn't , but it passed anyway because people
needed to get there lives back on track. Please dont, Please DONT!
present an offer with token fixes to a lame contract. Dont insult
the very union that has paid you to bring us a contract that we
can exept. The last 30 years of contracts have all been laced with
take aways, while my coworkers struggle to make a living, We pay
Jim McNearny How much? W*F...for how many years, and how long has
he been at Boeing?.....DO NOT CAVE.....Suck it up, Play Perry Mason,
Dont make our strike time, a waist of time.... The IAM 751 membership must remain solid surrounding
these new negotiations with the company. As you know, the company
will manipulate the contractual offerings in hopes that the membership
accept the deficient contract, so be forewarned. The membership
has demonstrated their determination to fight for a quality contract
while sacrificing our wages/benefits for the past 4 weeks. Now is
not the time for the membership to get weak or have to accept an
offer from the company less than what we deserve. The longer we
stay out on strike (for several months, if needed) will help ensure
a quality contract I believe. No reason to accept a contract under
par, considering those working in Chicago making huge sums of money
during and after their careers. During the past several contracts,
we the membership, gave up many contractual issues we fought hard
for previously. NOW is the time to remain solid on the picket lines,
because things can change (economically) three and even s! Pssst....the longer we stay out on this strike, will have a negative impact on the Boeing stock price, perhaps going to $40.00 a share or lower. I suggest buying the stock at this time! If you have a fair amount of money in your VIP account, you WILL reap a huge GAIN and DOUBLE your money when the stock rises to even $80.00 a share or more in 2009 or 2010. Think of this my friends; you will make substantially more money from the Boeing stock price gain than the lost wages from the IAM strike. So, REJECT the next contract offer please!!! The main issues I’m interested in are the medical and the pension. I am not willing to accept less than $100 for the pension and NO takeaways to the medical. That’s all I have for now. It is with great interest that I note Boeing has decided to return to the bargaining table. I can only assume that their negotiators will be expecting some concessions on the part of the Machinists. As others have previously noted. Company rhetoric places blame only on the Machinists for both the strike and any damages it may have done to Boeing's image. This is offensive to me. Since they have only themselves to blame for Corporate misbehavior and personal flaws and foibles at the very top going back to Stonesipher and Condit. Our concerns are well founded. We are due an honest pay increase across the board. We deserve job security and an end to the endless attacks on the
Machinists Union through corporate efforts to remove certain sectors
from the bargaining unit or treating new hires differently from
the rest of us. We do not deserve to have our out of pocket medical and prescription costs increased by greedy corporate leaders who doubtless have far better coverage than do we. These increases in our cost represent nothing less than pay cuts for us. We do not deserve and should not tolerate being robbed of the last "Cost Of Living Allowance" which was to become effective at the end of the last contract but absent from Boeing's last "Best and Final Offer". Nor do our spouses deserve to have our retirement pay delayed should a retiree pass away before our spouse has reached retirement age. Nothing but Corporate agreed brought about this strike. When it could have easily been averted by an honest and humane addressing of our needs and concerns. Instead they arrogantly chose to embark on an endeavour which has cost the Boeing Company millions of dollars more than what simply treating the Machinists with decency and respect would have cost. In my opinion we should not give up on a single one of these issues. If the Boeing Company does not honestly address each and every
one of these. I received the Everett Herald newspaper this morning and after reading the article the Company isn't willing to to give job guarantees on outsourcing. Before the 787 Dreamliner came into the picture, the company was making profits on all of the other airplanes. OUTSOURCING is NOT PATRIOTIC! To the negotiation team I think the very few people
that have cross our line. Should get the contract that Boeing frist
offered. That is the one they voted yes on. They thought it was
good at the time. October 7th 2008 on behalf of ftm cgt, the first french metalworkers
unions, the largest union in aerospace sector in France, I want
to say our fully support to your strike Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney says the Machinists
union strike is undermining the company's reputation for reliability. re: McNerney letter The memo that was sent from Jim McNerney and Scott
Carson was written as though they were addressing Boeing management.
However, both of those documents were submitted on the IAM negotiation
linkswhere union members could view them. I believe those documents
resemble subversive scare tactics. Hello, I think that it is important to point out to
all of the media that if the Boeing company is so proud of its ethical
practices then why are we sending more and more of our jobs to countries
that are less than ethical. China, Japan, Italy, Morocco, Mexico,
just to name a few are not only some of the largest polluters in
the world but also the workers in those countries are treated like
slaves. Yes even Italy. There are rivers there that you cant even
wade in up to your ankles in without taking the risk of getting
sick. Yes it is less expensive to manufacture the products that
we need to build our aircraft in those countries but at what cost
to the environment and the loss of jobs for us here. In china a
sixth of the population there are at risk of the effects of water
pollution. The rivers that come from china to Cambodia are killing
the fish that people used to harvest. The rest of the fish that
survive are contaminated. The clean up efforts The last update (October 6th) was nothing less than
BRILLIANT!! Thank you. My last comment must have been shared by
others, and seen by you. Thank you. Even though it is getting more
challenging, and we are anxious to get back to work, it is updates
as thorough as this that help us cope. It is easier to see that
it is Boeing who is holding out. It is difficult to keep that in
mind during this time, because we want to get back to work. This
strike is hard on all of us. Somebody, please explain what Mcnerney is talking about. Its in his control. They didn't even offer the simple .41 cent cola we already earned in the offer and he says the employess are responsible for the companies reputation and strikes. come on! What an insult to the American worker. Somebody please wake the company up. We can build as many aircraft this company can sell. Try us!
October 6th 2008 First of all I would like to thank all those on the
line right now. I am very proud to be a part of Union that doesn't
stand for injustice. Although I am not able to be out there on the
line with you because I currently reside in Iraq. I'm a reservist
in the United States Marine Corps, and I was called to serve, but
I have the upmost respect for every single one of you who go out
everyday and defend our livelihood and make sure we all have a future. What would happen if Boeing starts receiving cancelations
on orders due to the global economic problems facing the entire
world today, while we are on strike? Could someone address the USA's finacial market "crisis" issue, maybe in an IAM update... ie the meltdown seems like perfect timing while we're on strike. The latest tactics of those who would like to see
us defeated is to try and use the nation's if not the world's current
economic crisis in an attempt to beat down our morale and decieve
us into accepting a bad contract. October 4th 2008 Thank you for the updates (especially Oct. 3rd's) about the trails, and tribulations of our beloved (that's Boeing) company we work for. I'm sure we all can identify with their (lack of A/P's) frustrations, and (billion here or there) problems. As I am sure they (again that's Boeing) can identify with our values too. Apparently other groups outside of our wonderfull world of Boeing, including (our valued customers) airline companies. Have been wondering with good reason as to their (yeah, that's Boeing again) motives. Along with airline analysts, union's across the nation, government, newspapers, magazines, neighbors, kids (who want the house to themselves), and finally the wife/husband (because your driving them crazy). This is something that has been obvious to us (weaken the union) for a long time. That's why I am writing to fellow union members to keep the faith, and stay steadfast in on our differences with (you know who !!!) our beloved company. We deserve better, you have but only to ask, and know your true value to them (O.K. those guys). We've never needed BOEING to tell us how valuable we are. We know it allready !!! So have confidence, and bless us all. Tell Boeing to Kiss my you know what. Me and my co-workers are
ready for another 30 days of strike. Don't give up. An ad was posted on a popular web resource but was subsequently pulled. It was sent to us, so we thought it was interesting enough to share here. WANTED: Boeing Executives who respect the workforce. September 2nd 2008 I would just like to say that I walked the line in
1977 for Your and My future and I will walk the line in 2008 again
for Your future and MINE. I sent this to Doug Kight and his team. It looks as if history is going to repeat itself. The article is from Business Week. SEPTEMBER 26 2005 Boeing's Strike: Go Figure Instead, Boeing's effort misfired badly. The machinists rejected the company's offer by 86%. Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Alan R. Mulally, who's running the show while new Boeing CEO W. James McNerney Jr. learns the ropes, denies that the company attempted to divide the union membership. Still, what's puzzling is why he hasn't yet found a face-saving way to end the standoff. A close reading of management's offer suggests that it could meet the IAM's key pension demands for just $90 million more over the three-year life of a new labor contract. Since that comes to less than 1% of the nearly $4 billion the company will spend on the IAM's total wage-and-benefit expense over that period, it's difficult to see what Boeing hopes to gain by a lengthy showdown. That's particularly true in light of analysts' estimates that Boeing will rack up more than $90 million in costs each month that the walkout drags on. FAT ORDER BOOK While Boeing's initial strategy seemed promising enough, Mulally and Boeing Human Resources Vice-President Jerry Calhoun clearly underestimated the machinists' desire for traditional pensions. Indeed, two-thirds of IAM members are nearing retirement and weren't tempted by the short-term cash offer. Instead, older workers are looking for a big boost to the pension plan that currently pays them $60 a month per year of service -- about $1,800 a month for a 30-year veteran. Boeing offered to bump that up to $66 by 2008, but the IAM is looking for $80 -- or $70 at the least, union insiders say. Older workers, says IAM District 751 President Mark Blondin, feel they deserve a richer retirement as payment for helping Boeing rebound from the worst slump in commercial airplane history. They also know that the Chicago company is sitting on more than $5 billion in cash and has earned more than $1.1 billion in profit in the first half of this year. The question now is, if the strike is costing more than a compromise would, why doesn't Boeing just settle? True, no industrial company wants to saddle itself with even higher fixed pension costs these days, given the pain that General Motors Corp. () and others are going through with their troubled union retirement plans. But in Boeing's case, the extra dollars it would take to satisfy its aging IAM workforce amount to a pittance. WISH LIST But it's difficult to make his numbers add up, according to accounts of the talks from both sides. The $1 billion Mulally cited includes every demand the IAM made; in other words, its negotiating wish list. But unions almost never get everything they want, and their leaders know it. They're negotiating -- starting high in the hopes that a compromise will yield a better deal. Demanding $1 billion in wage and benefit hikes would nearly double Boeing's IAM payroll, something Blondin says he knows would never happen. In fact, the differences between the parties boil down to something closer to $90 million, according to union and company data analyzed by Business Week. The company's pension offer of $66 a month would add $16 million a year to its pension outlays, or $48 million over the contract's three-year term. The $80 the IAM wants would hike that to $29 million a year, or about $90 million through 2008. Union negotiators say they probably would have settled for something closer to $70 a month had Boeing been willing to keep talking. Boeing disputes the idea that the pension issue alone could solve the standoff. The company's current offer, which includes a pay hike and a more modest pension increase, would cost it about $270 million over three years. That comes to an increase of less than 2.5% a year, a great outcome given all the new plane orders pouring in to Boeing. Even matching the union's full pension demand would bump that total up to only $360 million, just about equivalent to the 3% a year many economists expect inflation to be. "Obviously, we came to the table with significant increases, but they were unwilling to compromise and didn't bargain," claims Blondin. Boeing officials deny that IAM negotiators suggested any compromises. Underlying the current standoff are the poor relations Boeing has long had with the IAM. That became clear in last-minute talks between Calhoun and Blondin just before the strike began. The two were deadlocked over yet another relatively minor issue, involving worker training. Blondin recalls asking: "I just don't understand why you always fight us." Blondin says Calhoun replied: "You just don't get it. We represent Corporate America. You represent labor. We are always going to be adversaries." Boeing says Blondin's account was taken out of context. Whatever the exact figures, the sums causing the impasse are essentially rounding errors for a company that hauls in $54 billion in annual revenues. With any savings to Boeing soon to be eaten up in the strike's first month, what's really driving Boeing remains a mystery.
The new Retention rules suck! They reduce the Job Security of the more senior members by removing the years of service rules and increasing the percentage of retentions. There shoud be a new retention step of 20 years added above the 15 year mark for the more senior members. Strike! I do not have a 20+ year history with the Boeing Company.
Or even a 1 year history for that matter. i was hired on 4 months
ago as a grade 4 mechanic. I've read the comments on the negotiations
website, and regretfully, I can't say that I've lived through any
other contract period. I wish I knew how it felt to be a fighting
machinist for more than 1/30th of my life, but I don't know -- I
don't understand what you all went through to get where we are today.
But I know, because of you're fight, I have a very bright future
as a member of this union. I know the pride of watching the most
beautiful thing man has ever created take flight. I am proud to
be part of the last solid blue colar work force in america, but
more so, I am proud to be part of this union. In solidarity, WE
WILL WIN THIS FIGHT. We will stamp out corporate greed and keep
the dying middle class alive. Best of all, we will get what we deserve.
We must remind the powerful that, without us, they have no power.
Then they will realize. September 1st 2008 Boeing left the table, and pretty much cut off negotiations. That tells our people that Boeing already knew what they were going to propose, and they are playing one heck of a game. There was no "transparency", and Boeing even goes as far as saying they heard us, heard the union, and offered the greatest contract. After spending the weekend, and taking Boeing's advice to show the contract to my family, we decided that we were not interested. Just like Boeing said so many times, they weren't interested. I am damn proud of my union, and beyond proud of my fellow brothers and sisters. It feels like we are soldiers, battling for our futures, our children's futures. When one falls, we help them up, and continue fighting. We have no choice but to fight, because Boeing took the first swing. Today is my official 1 year anniversary with Boeing. I should be celebrating, and happy. I instead feel betrayed, and beaten. But, I will follow every one of you to the picket lines. The IAM is our voice, and Boeing ignored our voice. Therefore, we will remain fighting Machinists, and stand strong. This will not be easy, but we will come out of this stronger. I honor those that have paved the way for me to be where I am today. The seasoned workers have welcomed me, and stood by my side when the company tried to push me down by offering me a bad contract. I too stood by those seasoned employees when the company tries to take away from them. I see the solidarity during the marches, and I feel the pats on the backs when I march along. This is my family, and I stick with my family. Go IAM brothers and Sisters! WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! If your hurting, I will bring you aspirin. If your hungry, I will bring you a sandwich. Why? Because we are one, one union, and a strong family. See you on the picket line! Thank you, This contract is NOT the best Boeing can do! There are many things missing from this proposal. Here are a few that I see as lacking: Factory service. How can they not increase that max pay for these folks. I can not vote for additions that do not include our brothers and sisters that do this important work. Minimum rates. GWI and COLA need to be added after these folks are moved up to the new minimum. Why should someone that has put time in be paid the same as those that haven't started yet? Progression. The lack of improvements in this area really bothers me. We are beyond proficient in our jobs before we hit the 6 yr. mark. Also increasing the amount for each step will help keep us with the company, which is in the Company's favor, not just ours. We need improvements here big-time!! Lack of COLA earned. We need to be paid the $.40 that we have earned. It undermines our intelligence to give us a bonus that equals the COLA that we deserve. We should get the COLA AND a signing bonus. Lack of bonus in 2nd year. I am very bothered by a gap between the bonus in the first year and the shady incentive plan for the 3rd year. We need some type of bonus in the second year. These are just a few of the issues that I have with this proposal. Medical has many issues that I do not have the time to get in to. Let the Company that their "best and final offer" is not good enough. Is there an agreement between the union and Boeing to stop negotiations at the time of the last/best offer? If not, wouldn't Boeing be guilty of bad faith negotiating in ending the process early? I expect Boeing to either keep negotiating until we vote, or hand us the REAL "best offer" on Tuesday ! The one they just gave us sure as he** wasn't the best they can do. August 31st 2008 Entire last and final offer from the company needs improvement. It is not what employees want. We want a better offer as a whole or they can take their last and final offer somewhere else. It is an insult. The company can offer us that is worth considering not a bunch of garbage. No takeaways to the medical benefits. Company's last offer was an insult to the employees. Shifting and hidden extra cost is not going to fool us. The company can do better. Also the VIP needs to be discuss and among other issues on the contract. Increase matching percentage at least 15% from 8% and from 50 cents to 85 cents. All around, the company's last and final offer is not worth considering for a vote. Employees thoughts on the offer was an insult to us and the company can do better to give us an excelllent contract. Better go back to the negotiating table and give us a better offer or they can just take their offer to the shredder (words chosen not actual thoughts). It's too bad the offer presented wasn't where the
negotiations started... (Shame on Boeing!) We might have gotten
a decent proposal. Hopefully the members stay united & vote
down this contract 100%!!! & reaffirm 100%!! We deserve a cut
of the pie just like the Execs get, whether its 30% or 300% pay
increases, bonuses, perks etc. Now is the time to set the bar &
keep the work in Country!! We need to re-establish the middle class
in America Now!! Boeing workers may be the all that's left... This is not about the contract issues because you all are doing a good job for us. It is though about the intimidating tactics of the company management. On Friday night as we were preparing to leave, supervisor __________ was telling some of her crew that the company was "going to break the union." They had been talking about the the contract and the illegal video that management wanted us to attend. You guys are doing one hell of a fine job for us members. This last march on Friday should really give Boeing an eye opener. I had a manager argue with me over this best and final "piece of sh*" offer. He asked me what do you want 100,000 a year? you are just a blue collar worker! Well this blue collar worker is pissed!!! All I have read from the corporate greed mongers since May is how they want to share the success with us, the people that make it happen. I think this B & F is crap! I think Doug Kight is a hypocrite! I think we have them by the short and curlys! This is an example of a Best and Final: GWI 6%, 5%, and 5% After reading some of the comments, I have realized that some
people are not reading the full text of the contract proposal. People
are commenting about the prescription drug issue. They say there
is no recourse when turned down for a brand name. There is, the
doctor can ask for a review. If there is no generic, the brand name
is covered. However, how many people know that the prescriptions
are subject to the annual deductible? It's our time this time!!! I am incensed that the Boeing company
would have any take-a-ways during this profitable time. I think
that they just angered a lot of fighting machinists and once again
we must show them what we're made of. Strike!!!!!! We must do this
now or what take-a-ways will they try for in the next contract?
I'm sure a lot of us noticed this already but when they eliminated
the .40 cent cola, that gave them the cash for the ratification
payout. We all know with what's at stake for their future profits
we'll get them back to the bargaining table really quickly. I tell
brothers and sisters I believe that they have the contract we want
just waiting there in gold leaf but to get it we must continue to
make lots of noise and hold strike marches so they know what's in
store for them on Wednesday at 12a.m. I am off for 4 days now and
I guess because it's the weekend I'm not hearing much scuttlebut
about strike marches and noise. We must stay strong and ! What does BEMS have to do with anything? It seemed to be assigned
randomly, now they want to use it if more than one member has the
same seniority date? It appears that I an many more of my co-workers are being thrown
under the bus. As a 30 year worker for the Boeing company and being
off work since Feb 1, 2008 I will not be considered for any of the
bonuses. I was hurt on the job while working for Boeing on a 777
on the Everett flight line. I live in constant pain from having
my shoulders ripped apart. I like many others hurt while on the
job, receiving a much reduced income, unable to add to our vip/retirement,
trying to make ends meet. Very much in need of a couple of extra
bucks are how told in this contract that if were off the active
payroll for more than 90 days, we get NOTHING. 30 years on the job,
hurt while helping Boeing make 13Billion in profit and get 000000
in return. August 30th 2008 Our prescription plan currently takes away choices but the proposed contract plan is outrageous. MEDCO will be (and has been ) acting as an unlicensed physician. I was denied a prescription drug by MEDCO because it wasn't on their list of formulary drugs ( whatever a formulary is). A common clerk at MEDCO told me I could buy the drug myself, a cost of several hundred dollars. I was so incensed, I told them I was going to sue. They refused to give me their names and were completely uncooperative. I can only imagine what they will be like under the new contract. What do we do if there is no generic drug? I've shown side effects from many popular prescriptions and when I found a drug to treat acid reflux that worked, with a doctors prescription in hand, my pharmacist informed me that MEDCO didn't approve it - period. Several weeks later, I did receive a letter saying the drug was added to the formulary list. These arbitrary decisions by MEDCO must stop. They are practicing medicine without a license. And once they make a decision, there is no method to appeal or challenge the decision. And these decisions are made by uneducated, unlicensed CLERKS. I'm voting strike on the presciption changes alone - but am thoroughly incensed about the lies and mis-information spread in the media about the negotiations. The Chicago paper said our average wage was $91,000 - HUH? Kite is telling the media the proposed contract changes give us an increase of $28,000 over 3 years - What calculator does he have? These lies are outrageous and the union needs to set the record straight in the media. We are portrayed as greedy machinists. Get out there with the real facts. Thank you for your overview of the contract. The company sure left out some very expensive details in their propaganda! I will vote to reject the contract and reafirm the strike vote. Just out of curiosity, where did the second strike vote come from? Can it be removed from future contracts? You would have my support to go only on a majority vote to ratify or reject the contract. It seems the second strike vote gives the company power to divide union members. Just a thought. Thanks again for the accurate and honest contract information. I have been a Boeing employee for just over a year. Today while me and my dad were going over the current contract offer I was surprised to read that if this contract is approved a new hire will be making about 75 cents more base pay, than I do after working there a year. (even more if they work on 2nd shift with the shift differential) I was just hoping that maybe I read this wrong, but if not I am honestly insulted that this would be able to take place. Even with my 5% raise i would be making a whopping 3 cents more than a new hire and thats ridiculous. I should have my raises and increases added to the base pay of 15$. Actually, I will vote for the contract. But with the Company's stance on the 50 percent plus acceptance to be able to collect the $2,500 ratification bonus; I will also be forced to vote to authorize a strike. This is due to the fact that if we do not get the 50% approval and no strike authorization the contract will be automatically implemented and will lose the $2,500. With a strike you will have the ability to negotiate the $2,500 back. The company may have been better off by making the ratification bonus a percentage of acceptance regardless of strike authorization percentages. August 27th 2008 Here is a copy of an email I sent to Boeing. Don't know if it was the right person, but asked that they forward it -- in case they didn't (and I'm pretty sure they won't) -- here's a copy for the Union Negotiators.... "If this is the wrong place for this email, will you please forward it to the appropriate party and let me know who that party is. First of all I'm not an employee of Boeing, BUT I've been a share
holder many times over the last 15 years. I've made money on my
investments with Boeing and that has made me very happy. These financial
gains could not have been possible without the dedicated employees
of Boeing. They work hard and they are the ones who have made Boeing
what it is today. I find it insulting that Boeing Management is
not prepared to offer a contract that maintains loyal and dedicated,
hard-working I believe that the majority of share holders also feel this way. The employees are the ones who actually make Boeing the company who has brought them their profits. The offer of August 22nd is not one that makes Boeing Management
(who receive considerable compensation!) look good. Outsourcing,
whether over seas or locally is not a way Please reconsider your offer and eliminate the three "Deal
Breakers." Salary, medical benefits, bonuses, retirement, and
outsourcing are huge issues for all concerned. Also, consider who
made Boeing what it is today -- the employees Thank you. I am upset with the company offering tradional medical for $o.oo per month when it is already $0.00 per month. and I don't like the co-pays going up or being required to use generic drugs. I get migraine headaches and there is only one thing that works for me. I already tried the generic and it did not work. This pill is 440.00 EACH AND i CAN ONLY GET 8 PER MONTH ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE. If this proposal stays my drug will go from $30.00 a month to over $400.00 per month. This is not a good thing. Boeings Latest 2nd Offer is a joke and i'am so Damn
proud of my Union for Finally & i do mean Finally beating boeing
at thier own game..Boeing has traditionally tried to dupe the members
into thinking we got a good deal by removeing a bunch of take-aways
that as you have stated should not have been there is the first
damn place!! i've been @ boeing since 88 and i have watched boeing
use this cheap tactic contract after contract and now we have them
right where we want them !!This union has out-smarted Boeing and
i think they are sweating big time because we have them cornered
in the very trap that they originally had set for us...The members
are on to them as well & the word on the shop floor is "What
the Hell is Boeing thinking?" Do they think we're stupid and
can't add math..We don't need no "stupid Fuzzy calculator"
to know when someones trying to pull a fast one on us!!! Make sure
you tell them that!! That pension increase is a joke, just ask Mcneary!!
That Incentive plan will never pay out and we want a pay-out for
each & every year of the contract just like speaa and everyone
else at this company gets...I want more sick leave, Martin luther
king holiday!! da#$m*'it! This company has gotten over on us long
enough!! The GWI is still below standard!! Quit playing games Boeing...And
that subcontracting language is a joke..Fix it now or you never
will!!! Keep up the pressure & let's turn up the Heat Full Blast
so boeing will once & for all take the "Fighting Machinist
Serious".. I have 30 years today with the Boeing company. One thing I noticed that was not mentioned in response to the latest proposal is how they basically just moved the money around. The lump sum of 5% would give a maxed out Grade 3 MPRF with no OT approximately $2500 dollars which is what was offered in the intial offer. However the new hires would receive less and the higher paygrade more. The company may be banking on the higher paygrades passing a percentage-based lump sum, further dividing the ranks of our union. Gwi must absolutely at the very minimum keep up with the rate of inflation or we are agreeing to a pay cut. I already have to work a lot of overtime just to make ends meet, I cannot afford to give up any income at all. License premiums for A&P's are laughable at 56 cents each per hour. Industry standard is two bucks or better per license, per hour. We gave concessions when times were lean, now that business is better Boeing needs to up the ante considerably. August 26th 2008 I felt the first offer was a slap in the face to
all of our members, now the second one is only smoke and mirrors.
Do the math for our new hires. Sure $2.28 sounds great to the starting
wage. Lets assume two progression steps = $1.00 What a disgrace on the 2nd Contract offer! Tell them Its Our Time This Time! Do not back down we are behind all of you A3770 Auburn. Show us a Good Contract or we will strike for it! LOU 37 has got to go! It is the crack in the dam and unless it's fixed pronto, the dam will eventually give way. Hang tough! What good is money when the jobs go away??? In solidarity. I would like more in the pension. Adding 8 dollars is not enough. I would like to see a combination of pension money and have the company match 75 cents on the dollar in our VIP. 10% GWI PER YEAR. 4% COLA, $100 Pension per year of service. $4.00 License premium Per License for those who have or upon obtaining an A&P License or FCC License. $2.00 wage progression steps until top out. We did not create the cost of living, but if Boeing is to survive so must it's workforce. Just wanted to let you know that we will vote to strike if we have
to pay a higher medical deductible than what we are already paying. raising the minimum rates should also be include BEFORE our cola and gwi's not after. People that have been here for 6 months or a year should not be getting paid the same as people who are just coming in because of the new contract, we should be able to get keep our gwi's and cola in a company with record profits. Thank you for your hard work at the bargaining table. That 5% bonus is a loose for anyone making less then 50 grand. After reviewing this 2nd contract proposal, there is one issue really bothering me. Although the contract sounds better, why is Boeing not addressing retro pay to workers that were hired between 2006-2007. I have been with Boeing for about 19 months; and a new hire that starts working this week will automatically be making as much as I do. It took me 3 steps to reach $13.94 per hour. I've worked my butt off to provide for my family at the $11.72 an hour rate for a year and a half; but a new worker who has done nothing for the company yet will automatically receive $14.00 per hour or whatever the final entry level rate will be. I hope this issue is strongly being addressed during negotiating, because the final offer needs to include retro pay for new hires, not rehires, between 2005-2007. Thank you for listening to my concern! In Solidarity what about the raise across the board for everyone not maxed out. Some of what I'm looking for in our FINAL OFFER; This should be the min. for us at the table! I want to see more paid time off. We have been working massive overtime so the company can maintain this 3 day rate on the 777. We want more time with our families and time to recover from illnesses without being penalized. This is a strike issue for me. There couldn't be a better time to negotiate this issue, after all it's our time this time! 1) I work at Boeing Portland. A new hire (11-30-07) and not impressed
with the proposed 2.28 starting wage increase. I figure at that
rate I'll see 0.35/hr while the guy starting 9-5-08 will be at the
same rate as me. It is very important to me to shorten progression
and increase step pay! Just a few of my thoughts on this latest offer. Thanks for listening and keep up the good work!
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