The Associated Press reported yesterday, Friday, that the Boeing workers’ strike showed no clear signs of ending soon, as about 33,000 mechanics are striking for the eighth consecutive day.
The workers’ strike prompted the company to take urgent action by furloughing its non-union employees to preserve its finances.
Federal mediators are involved in negotiations between the International Association of Machinists and Boeing this week, but union officials said little progress has been made during the first two sessions.
The union said no dates have been set for further negotiations, and workers are demanding a 40% raise and the restoration of retirement benefits that were eliminated about a decade ago.
In the same context, a Boeing spokesman announced on Friday that the company’s goal is to reach an agreement with the union as soon as possible, refusing to make further statements.
A group of analysts said earlier that Boeing could lose more than $100 million in revenue per day until it reaches a settlement with its union.
A prolonged strike could cost billions of dollars, hurting the aircraft maker’s already strained finances and threatening to downgrade its credit rating.
The company’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, now faces a battle between workers and management just weeks after his appointment to restore confidence in the aircraft maker, which is also facing intense scrutiny from U.S. regulators over its safety practices.
Ortberg stressed in a letter to employees on Friday that ending the strike, which has involved more than 30,000 workers in the Seattle area, is a top priority for the US aviation giant.
The strike began on September 13, when regional union members voted 96 percent in favor of going on strike after rejecting a proposed contract that would have raised their salaries by 25 percent over four years.
Source: AP + Agencies
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2024-09-21 11:32:47
