Canadian Workers End Boeing Strike

Workers at a Boeing Co. plant here voted overwhelmingly Friday to accept a new contract and end a bitter five-week strike.

The three-year deal reached Thursday with help from a government mediator covers 870 workers who manufacture parts for the wings of commercial aircraft. Eighty-six percent voted in favor.

Job security and retraining were the main issues in the dispute. The contract includes a commitment by the federal, provincial and municipal governments to pay for the retraining of 212 laid-off workers.

Since the strike began July 11, about 60 percent of the plant’s work has been transferred to Washington state. There were fears the plant would close for good if the strike dragged on.