Boeing has submitted a filing to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claiming of unfair labor practice. It accuses 33,000 Boeing factory workers on the US West Coast of “bad faith bargaining.”
Boeing filed the claim on October 10, 2024, declaring that the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents the workers currently on strike, has engaged in a “pattern of bad faith bargaining” as the strike approaches its fifth week.
As reported by Business Standard on October 11, 2024, the planemaker stated in a filing with the NLRB that the union’s “public narrative is misleading […] making it difficult to find a solution for our employees.”
Boeing added that it had chosen to file its claim to ensure the NLRB and other interested parties “have an accurate picture of the events of the past few weeks”.
“The solution is going to be one that supports workers, that’s compatible with the business succeeding,” Pete Buttigieg, US Transportation Secretary, told local reporters at a press event held at the department’s headquarters on October 10, 2024. “We think both those things are absolutely compatible, and there’s a deal to be had.”
As of October 11, 2024, the IAM workers have not yet replied to the filing. The day before, the union posted a statement on Facebook, strongly holding their positions and stating that “there is no Boeing without the IAM”.
“It’s a powerful statement to Boeing, the industry, and every worker in this country – we will not back down,” the union added. “Every step we take together is another step toward securing the contract we deserve and one that reflects the value of our labor and the future we are fighting for.”
The new accusation reflects the rising tensions between Boeing and the union in the labor negotiations, as the planemaker faces financial challenges. Boeing is expected to lose around $10 billion in 2024, assuming the strike concludes in the last quarter of 2024, based on a recent report from S&P Global.
The decision to take action against the workers comes after the recent two-day talks with the union on October 8–9, 2024, which again ended without a deal. As of October 2024, Boeing and the IAM union have already engaged in two rounds of formal negotiations since mid-September 2024.
Both meetings took place before the company made its ‘best and final contract offer’ on September 23, 2024, which offered a 30% pay raise for employees over the next four years, plus additional bonuses.
However, the union strongly rejected the deal, stating it was “not good enough” as they are seeking a 40% pay raise and the return of a pension plan that was taken away in 2014.