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By Hugh Cameron
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Members of Boeing's biggest union have voted to authorize a strike if their current contract negotiations with the aerospace company fail, compelling the company to take their demands for higher salaries and job security seriously.
Over 30,000 Boeing workers from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) met in Seattle on Wednesday to cast their vote on possible industrial action.
"Thousands of Machinists from IAM District 751 who work at the Boeing Company put down their tools and silenced the factories to come together at T-Mobile Park to cast their vote," a statement shared by the International Association of Machinists read. "The message was clear – Boeing workers deserve better."
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The vote will compel Boeing to "bargain earnestly," according to IAM District 751 President Jon Holden. "Our jobs, our legacy and our reputation are on the line right now. We are fighting to change this company and to save it from itself."
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The procedural vote, which the IAM said passed "by nearly 99.9%," gives the union advanced notice of its members' intention to strike, ensuring that they can receive strike benefits without delay if industrial action goes ahead.
The vote to strike will not take place until September 12, when the current negotiations between the IAM and Boeing come to a close.
However, the union said that the vote serves as a "momentum builder," and sends a strong message to Boeing that "members won't accept anything less than the fair contract they deserve."
"We don't want to strike – but we're ready and willing to do so to bring home the best aerospace contract our members have ever seen," Holden said. "From our family members to the flying public, we want everyone to be proud of this company once again. We are the watchdog with a unique opportunity to make things better for all."
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The negotiations between Boeing and its workers began in March and are set to finish in September at the close of their current 10-year contract.
The IAM is seeking a 40 percent salary increase over the next three to four years to amend "ten years of stagnant wages," as well as improved healthcare plans, "dignified" retirement plans and a greater say in their over overtime hours.
However, the IAM said that job security "could tip the scales" when members cast their votes to strike on September 12.
Holden previously told Newsweek that the IAM was demanding that Boeing's next airplane program be placed in the Puget Sound region, Washington.
This, Holden believes, would secure work for IAM's members "for the next 50 years."
"Our Members are the Boeing Company and it's our fingerprints on every product that leaves the shop floor," Holden said following the vote on Wednesday. "There is no Boeing without us, and we have what it takes to build this company back to the level it was."
Boeing previously told Newsweek it was "confident" that the company would be able to reach a deal "that addresses the needs of our employees while allowing us to compete for new business in a very competitive global market."
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