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CWA Aids Boeing Engineers In Successful Strike
CWA extended a hand of solidarity to Boeing engineers and technical workers in Washington state who succeeded, after a 38-day strike, in beating back concession demands and winning the respect and fair salary treatment they sought from the aerospace giant.
The 19,000 workers, represented by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees, walked out on Feb. 9 over Boeing’s demand for health benefit cost-shifting and its failure to offer adequate salary increases or bonuses such as the company negotiated last year for production workers represented by the Machinists union.
CWA’s executive board authorized weekly contributions of $25,000 to aid the strikers, who had no strike fund. In addition, CWA President Morton Bahr, who chairs the AFL-CIO’s Department for Professional Employees, briefed White House officials, who in turn expressed to Boeing President Clinton’s desire to end the dispute.
The settlement agreement, ratified March 19, preserves fully paid health benefits and calls for salary increases of at least 9 percent and up to 10 percent for some workers over three years along with bonuses of $2,500.
“The technical community has found its voice — this has been a clear victory,” declared Charles Bofferding, head of the IFPTE’s affiliate, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees at Boeing.
The union’s only previous strike, in 1992, lasted for just a day. This one was described by the Associated Press as “one of the biggest white collar walkouts in U.S. history.” The news service also reported: “The engineers surprised many, first by going on strike, then by staying out as long as they did.”
The strike delayed Boeing’s delivery of at least 15 aircraft.
The 19,000 workers, represented by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees, walked out on Feb. 9 over Boeing’s demand for health benefit cost-shifting and its failure to offer adequate salary increases or bonuses such as the company negotiated last year for production workers represented by the Machinists union.
CWA’s executive board authorized weekly contributions of $25,000 to aid the strikers, who had no strike fund. In addition, CWA President Morton Bahr, who chairs the AFL-CIO’s Department for Professional Employees, briefed White House officials, who in turn expressed to Boeing President Clinton’s desire to end the dispute.
The settlement agreement, ratified March 19, preserves fully paid health benefits and calls for salary increases of at least 9 percent and up to 10 percent for some workers over three years along with bonuses of $2,500.
“The technical community has found its voice — this has been a clear victory,” declared Charles Bofferding, head of the IFPTE’s affiliate, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees at Boeing.
The union’s only previous strike, in 1992, lasted for just a day. This one was described by the Associated Press as “one of the biggest white collar walkouts in U.S. history.” The news service also reported: “The engineers surprised many, first by going on strike, then by staying out as long as they did.”
The strike delayed Boeing’s delivery of at least 15 aircraft.