2024 Boeing machinists strike
{{Short description|Labor strike in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = 2024 Boeing machinists strike
| image =
|caption =
| date = September 13, 2024 – November 4, 2024
| place = Seattle, Portland, Southern California{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/09/13/nx-s1-5110310/boeing-machinists-union-strike|title=Boeing machinists go on strike after rejecting contract |date=September 13, 2024 |last=Rose |first=Joel |work=NPR |access-date=September 13, 2024}}
| causes = Rejection of Boeing contract
| goals = Improved wages and benefits
| methods = *Marching
| result = Strike ends with a new contract, Boeing loses at least $9.66 billion{{cite web |last= Anderson |first= Patrick |date= 2024 |title= Boeing Strike: Weekly Economic Loss Estimates |url=https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/boeing-strike-weekly-economic-loss-estimates/ |website= andersoneconomicgroup.com|location= East Lansing, Michigan|publisher= Anderon Economic Group LLC |access-date= 14 February 2025}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-05/boeing-ends-crippling-strike-after-workers-accept-latest-offer |title=Boeing Ends Crippling Strike as Workers Accept Latest Offer |first1=Julie |last1=Johnson |first2=Danny |last2=Lee |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=November 4, 2024 |accessdate=November 7, 2024}}
| side1 = *International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
| side2 = *Boeing
}}
The 2024 Boeing machinists strike was a labor strike by more than 33,000 machinists employed by aerospace giant Boeing from September to November 2024. It was the first strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) at Boeing since the 2008 strike. Most of the striking workers were at the company's plants in Everett and Renton in the Seattle metropolitan area.{{Cite web |last=Terlep |first=Sharon |date=September 13, 2024 |title=Boeing Union Votes for First Strike in 16 Years, Halting 737 Production |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/boeing-ceo-kelly-ortberg-pleads-with-union-not-to-strike-af5703df |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}
Background
The strike began on September 13 after 94.6% of workers voted to reject a contract promising a 25% pay raise over four years, and 96% voted to approve the strike, surpassing the two-thirds threshold.{{Cite web |last=Koenig |first=David |date=September 13, 2024 |title=Boeing machinists vote to strike after rejecting pay increases of 25% over 4 years |url=https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-vote-machinists-12d008c0127bab57f8cc9941f48e3ac6 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=AP News}} The strike temporarily halted production of Boeing's 737, 777, and 767 jets, including military derivatives such as the U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker and Navy P-8 maritime aircraft.{{Cite web |last=Decker |first=Audrey |date=2024-09-13 |title=Boeing workers strike will hit Pentagon programs |url=https://www.defenseone.com/business/2024/09/boeing-workers-strike-will-hit-pentagon-programs/399535/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Defense One |language=en}}
Timeline
=October=
By early October, the strike had cost Boeing an estimated $5 billion.{{Cite web |last=Yurkevich |first=Vanessa |date=October 13, 2024 |title=Boeing strike has already cost the company and workers $5 billion, new analysis shows |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/13/business/boeing-strike-one-month-five-billion-dollars/index.html |access-date=October 15, 2024 |work=CNN}} Negotiations broke down on October 8, with Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stephanie Pope stating that the union "made non-negotiable demands far in excess of what can be accepted if we are to remain competitive as a business."{{cite news|url=https://www.komonews.com/news/local/boeing-contract-offer-aerospace-commercial-airplanes-president-ceo-stephanie-pope-statement-pacific-northwest-furloughs-community-customers-statement-iam-union-district-751|title=Boeing withdraws offer as ongoing strike impacts business, customers, and community|publisher=KOMO News|date=October 9, 2024|accessdate=October 9, 2024}}
On October 10, Boeing filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing it of failing to bargain in good faith.{{Cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-transportation-chief-says-increasingly-important-resolve-boeing-strike-2024-10-10/ |title=Boeing files unfair labor practice charge against striking union|date=October 10, 2024 |last=Shepardson |first=David |work=Reuters |access-date=October 11, 2024}} On October 14, Boeing announced layoffs affecting thousands of workers.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-fine-tunes-job-cuts-major-buyer-slams-777x-jet-delay-2024-10-14/|title=Boeing prepares layoff notices for thousands of workers as turmoil deepens|first1=Allison|last1=Lampert|first2=David|last2=Shepardson|first3=Tim|last3=Hepher|publisher=Reuters|date=October 14, 2024|accessdate=October 15, 2024}} On October 31, the union backed a new contract that included a 38% wage increase over four years, plus a choice between a $12,000 ratification bonus or a combination of a $7,000 bonus and a $5,000 401(k) contribution.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/31/boeing-union-reach-sweetened-contract-offer-in-bid-to-end-strike.html |title=Boeing union backs sweetened contract offer that could end strike, sets vote for Monday |date=October 31, 2024 |last=Josephs |first=Leslie|work=CNBC |access-date=November 1, 2024}}
=November=
On November 4, union members voted to approve the contract with 59% support, officially ending the strike.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-05/boeing-ends-crippling-strike-after-workers-accept-latest-offer |title=Boeing Ends Crippling Strike as Workers Accept Latest Offer |first1=Julie |last1=Johnson |first2=Danny |last2=Lee |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=November 4, 2024 |accessdate=November 7, 2024}}
See also
{{Portal|Organized labour}}