Machinists ratify contract, end strike

Across three states, 33,000 Machinists stood strong for 53 days to win a contract that sets a new standard for aerospace workers and the entire working class

SEATTLE, WA (November 5, 2024) — Machinists have ratified a new contract with Boeing, ending a nearly two month-long strike that won the workers a 38% wage increase, a $12,000 signing bonus, improvements to working conditions, and a job security commitment from the company.

The union reports more than 26,000 members participated in the vote, voting by 59% to accept the contract.

The strike, commonly viewed as a David versus Goliath fight between the workers and a behemoth, to-big-to-fail Boeing, forced the company to make significant concessions to the Machinists. Past contract bargains have seen Boeing weaponizing it’s immense leverage to squeeze the workers. This year, the workers successfully flipped the script, showing that even the world’s biggest corporations cannot suppress the power of working people standing united.

“Livable wages and benefits that can support a family are essential – not optional – and this strike underscored that reality,” said Jon Holden, President of IAM District 751 and Brandon Bryant, President of IAM District W24 in a joint statement. “This contract will have a positive and generational impact on the lives of workers at Boeing and their families. Our members perform high quality and flight critical work for the airplanes we build and deserve a return on their labor investment that provides for the quality of life worthy of that labor.”

Machinists on the strike line in Puyallup.

Workers won significant financial investment in the workforce. The contract secures an immediate 13% raise, followed by 9% raises in both the second and third year of the contract, and a 7% raise the last year. These front loaded raises compound, meaning workers will ultimately receive raises of more than 43% over the lifetime of the contract. COLAs will continue, and will now apply to minimum rates as well. Also secured is one set of progression in a career, making it easier for workers to reach max pay and immediately moving about 1,500 workers to that max pay rate.

The contract also includes an immediate $12,000 signing bonus that can be taken in cash, direct into their Boeing 401k, or a mix of the two. Company contributions to the 401k plan will also increase to an 8% match. And annual bonuses are reinstated, with a guaranteed minimum annual payout of 4%.

Quality of life issues are also addressed in the contract, which secured significant improvements to an overtime system that allowed the company to force workers to take on brutal overtime schedules. The workers also won a paid parental leave benefit and improvements to vacation accrual and use.

And if a new commercial airplane program is launched during the agreement, the Machinists secured a commitment from Boeing to build the new airplane model in the Pacific Northwest.

“Through this strike and the resulting victory, frontline workers at Boeing have done their part to begin rebalancing the scales in favor of the middle class,” said Holden and Bryant. “In doing so, we hope to inspire other workers in our industry and beyond to continue standing up for justice at work.”

Jon Holden, President of IAM District 751, speaks at a strike rally at the Machinists’ Seattle Union Hall in October.

Part of that rebalancing is a culture shift within Boeing, one that the workers fought to lead in their contract by securing a stronger worker voice in decision making. For decades, union workers have argued that Boeing executives’ obsession with maximizing profits at the expense of their workforce — and ultimately the flying public — is dangerous. That practice is now widely recognized as a primary driver of Boeing’s recent raft of safety issues.

“This contract creates a new foundation to build on for the future and that future begins today,” said Holden and Bryant. “We are ready to help Boeing change direction and return to building the highest quality and safest airplanes in the world. Our members are critical to that mission, and now have a stronger voice in the decision making process to ensure those needed improvements are made.”

Machinists can return to work as early as Wednesday, November 6. All workers must return by Wednesday, November 12.