Boeing will return to the bargaining table with striking union workers on Monday after weeks of deadlock, the union announced Friday.
Since September, around 33,000 machinists have gone on strike from the company’s West Coast factories with grievances over pay, pension and annual bonuses.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg sent an internal email Friday sharing that a “resolution” is a “priority” for their team and that they are willing to resume talks.
The aerospace company’s employees, represented by the International Association of Machine and Aerospace Workers (IAMW) walked out on Sept. 13, leaving the company to slow production of their top line products including Boeing 777, 767 and 737 MAX jet.
The group made the decision to leave after the company denied a 40 percent general wage increase over three years as well as a restored pension plan.
Instead, the company offered a 25 percent wage increase without an annual bonus. Once workers continued to tow the line, Boeing said they’d provide a 30 percent wage increase over four years and reinstated the annual bonus doubling the lump sum payment for the agreement to $6,000 in addition to 2 percent of company matching contributions to the 401(k) retirement plan.
However, members of IAM’s district 751 declined the offer, stating it was not enough. The company is still refusing to reinstate the pension plan which it decommissioned in 2013.
Union workers participating in the strike forfeited their first paycheck on Thursday and lost access to healthcare benefits on Tuesday.
Boeing’s SPEEA union members have offered to donate up to $99,000 to the workers hardship fund as they continue to protest conditions according to reporting from The Seattle Times.
Boeing has faced intense scrutiny throughout the year due to safety lapses for passengers aboard flights. As their defense sales continue to drop, it will be crucial for the company to settle the strike with workers so they can continue to increase production for the year as planned.
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