20 Days In: Challenges And Resilience In The Boeing Union Strike

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) District 751 strike against Boeing has entered its 20th day, with union members holding firm on their demands for a 40% wage increase, annual bonuses, and the restoration of pensions lost over a decade ago. Despite financial pressures and the loss of company-paid health insurance as of September 30, strikers remain resolute. Workers like Robert Silverman and Euel Atkinson are prepared to weather the storm, relying on personal savings and temporary work to make ends meet while fighting for better pay and benefits.

Inside Boeing

Inside Boeing, new CEO Kelly Ortberg faces mounting challenges just seven weeks into the job. The company burdened with $60 billion in debt and having burned through $8 billion this year, has not posted an annual profit since 2018. The strike is exacerbating the situation, costing Boeing an estimated $50 million per day, according to accounting analyst Ron Epstein from Bank of America.

Contain Costs

In an effort to contain costs, Boeing has mandated that non-union employees, including managers and executives, take one unpaid week off per month. The company also asked the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) to voluntarily participate in furloughs, but the union declined.

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Health Insurance

In an effort to force workers back, Boeing has cut off their company-paid health insurance. But for the first time since legislation was passed earlier this year that allows striking Washington workers to apply for healthcare through the state’s Healthcare Exchange, it is being utilized. Boeing workers whose benefits expired or ended on Monday, September 30, now have a special 60-day extended enrollment period to shop for plans on the exchange, which is in part taxpayer-funded. The Worker Healthcare Protection Act, or Senate Bill 5632, passed earlier this year along party lines. Boeing has promised that workers returning after October 1 will have their benefits reinstated, though it could take up to 10 business days.