Boeing Machinists union members rejected management’s contract offer late on Thursday, September 12, 2024. The majority of the union’s members voted to go on strike and walked out at midnight.
International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751 voted in favor of rejecting the offer by Boeing by 94.6% and for striking by 96%.
“This is about respect, this is about addressing the past and this is about fighting for our future,” Jon Holden, president of the group said Thursday evening. “We’re going to get back to the table as quickly as we can,” Holden said, “We’ll certainly engage so that we can try to resolve the issues and address what the members’ needs are.”
The strike of the 33,000 machinists is not expected to disrupt commercial flights right away but will likely shut down production of aircraft.
Boeing’s 33,000 blue-collar workers were instructed to stay out indefinitely.