Machinists ratify Boeing contract

SEATTLE – Machinists union members ratified a new contract with the Boeing Co. on Saturday, ending an eight-week strike that cut the airplane maker’s profits and stalled jetliner deliveries.

The vote by members of the union, which represents about 27,000 workers at plants in Washington state, Oregon and Kansas, was about 74 percent in favor of the proposal five days after the two sides tentatively agreed to the deal and union leaders recommended its approval.

The workers are expected to return to Boeing’s commercial airplane factories, which have been closed since the Sept. 6 walkout, starting tonight.

The union has said the contract protects more than 5,000 factory jobs, prevents the outsourcing of certain positions and preserves health care benefits. It also promises pay increases over four years rather than three, as outlined in earlier offers.

The union members, including electricians, painters, mechanics and other production workers, have lost an average of about $7,000 in base pay since the strike began. They had rejected earlier proposals by the company, headquartered in Chicago.

The strike has hurt Boeing’s suppliers, including Kaiser Aluminum Corp. and Triumph Composite Systems in the Spokane area. Triumph, which makes air ducts and composite floors for Boeing, announced in September that it would lay off more than 200 workers because of the strike.

It was the union’s fourth strike against Boeing in two decades and its longest since 1995. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers staged strikes against Boeing for 24 days in 2005, 69 days in 1995 and 48 days in 1989.

Boeing officials have said the contract allows them flexibility to manage their business and remain competitive.

The work stoppage was costing the company an estimated $100 million per day in deferred revenue and postponing delivery of its long-awaited 787 jetliner and other commercial planes.

The strike came amid surging demand for Boeing’s commercial jetliners. Boeing has said its order backlog has swollen to a record $349 billion in value.