IAM Union District 837 has responded to recent statements by Boeing regarding the ongoing mediation process in their contract dispute. The union disputes Boeing’s claim that mediation has been ongoing for several weeks, stating that the last meeting with the company and the federal mediator occurred on September 29. Since then, the union reports there have been no further mediation sessions.
According to the union, after the September 29 meeting, they submitted a modified pre-ratification settlement offer through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Boeing rejected this proposal and instead presented the same five-year contract offer that union members had already voted down. The company made acceptance of this offer contingent on a specific deadline, but the union did not bring it back for another vote because it had previously been rejected.
The union states, “In good faith, we notified Boeing—through FMCS—that the union remains ready to return to mediation with just 24 hours’ notice. As of today, the company has not provided any dates of availability.”
“Our goal remains to reach a fair agreement that addresses the issues our members have clearly identified. We continue to stand ready to meet at any time to reach a resolution and end this strike,” the union said in its statement.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired members in sectors such as aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, healthcare, and automotive across North America.
