IAM Members to Vote on Boeing 777X Proposal

IAM members will vote Nov. 13 on a proposal by the Boeing Co. that, if approved, would ensure Boeing 777X wing and fuselage work will be performed by IAM members in the Puget Sound area.

IAM members at District 751 and District W-24 will vote on November 13, 2013 on a proposal from the Boeing Company that, if approved, would guarantee the Boeing 777X wings and fuselage will be built by IAM members in the Puget Sound.

In exchange for the 777X guarantee, Boeing proposes a new eight-year labor agreement that will expire in September 2024, providing an unprecedented degree of labor stability in the volatile and competitive industry.

“Securing the Boeing 777X for the Puget Sound means much more than job security for thousands of IAM members,” said District 751 Directing Business Representative Tom Wroblewski. “It means decades of economic activity for the region and will anchor the next generation of wide-body aircraft production right here in its historic birthplace and will complement the 737MAX narrow body.”

According to estimates, the 777X could mean as many as 10,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs in the immediate vicinity, with the project also serving as a long-term hub for advanced technology in electronics, avionics and composite technology required by the 777X.

The proposal by Boeing includes additional modifications to the current labor agreement, including cessation of pension accruals for current employees and the establishment of an alternative company-funded retirement plan. Additionally, within 30 days of ratification, all members would be paid a $10,000 signing bonus.

“Only a project as significant as the 777X and the jobs it will bring to this region warrants consideration of the terms contained in Boeing’s proposal,” said Wroblewski. “While not all will agree with the proposal’s merits, we believe this is a debate and a decision that ultimately belongs to the members themselves.”

For more information, visit www.iam751.org.

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