33,000 Boeing Workers Strike Amid A Piling Debt

JAKARTA - Boeing's blue collar workers in the Pacific Northwest this weekend went on strike after rejecting a contract offer that would increase their wages by 25% over four years. In unanimous votes, the workers rejected the proposal because it was considered far from expectations.

Reporting from AP, Sunday, September 15, the strike involving 33,000 drivers is expected not to interfere with the flight schedule in the near future, but will stop production of several Boeing main jets.

This is another setback for a company that has suffered huge financial losses and is struggling to improve its public image.

The strike began after regional branches of the International Association of Machine Workers and the Aerospace reported 94.6% of its members rejected the contract offer in the vote.

The atmosphere is heating up as striking workers gather outside a Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, carrying banners and playing protest songs. The workers who broke down were the drivers who assembled 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling aircraft, as well as 777 jets and 767 cargo planes.

Many workers said they were dissatisfied with the offer of wages that were deemed incomparable to the high cost of living in the Pacific Northwest. John Olson, a worker with six years of experience in Boeing, complained about a 2% increase in wages during his tenure.

"The increase they offer is based on the standard 16 years ago," he said.

Trade union leader Jon Total said the Boeing worker strike is expected to last quite a while as workers believe they can get a bigger wage increase and improved pensions.

This long strike could further undermine Boeing's finances, which have slumped due to a 60 billion US dollar debt pile. Termination of long aircraft production due to strike workers will also burden airlines flying Boeing jets and suppliers producing spare parts.