The strike shut down two major aircraft factories in Washington state.
In Seattle, USA, around 33,000 employees of the aircraft manufacturer Boeing have gone on strike early Saturday morning Finnish time.
This is a significant part of the company’s workforce of approximately 150,000 people in the United States. The strike shut down two major aircraft factories in Washington state.
On Thursday, the employees voted with an overwhelming majority in favor of rejecting the aviation giant’s contract proposal.
– We sent a huge message to Boeing that they cannot continue to mistreat us, who has worked at Boeing for 15 years Mike Corsetti said news agency AFP.
Negotiations between Boeing and striking factory workers are scheduled to resume early next week under the leadership of a federal mediator.
– We want to go back to the table and reach an agreement that is good for our people, their families and our community, Boeing CFO Brian West assured.
The strike is Boeing’s first in 16 years. Last time, the work stoppage lasted almost two months.
The company teeters on the brink of bankruptcy
The last few years of the aircraft giant have not been easy.
The company has had difficulty correcting its course after problems with the 737 Max plane led to two crashes in 2018 and 2019. A total of 346 people died in the crashes.
In January of this year, quality control problems became visible again, when a wall panel detached from the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max model plane during takeoff.
As a result of the difficulties, Boeing’s earnings have been squeezed in recent years, and the company is weighed down by a debt burden of 60 billion dollars.
Last year, Boeing did not make a profit. The aircraft manufacturer is CNNthe company has lost money every year since 2018.
Still, in 2023, the company’s CEO received a 45 percent salary increase, bringing his compensation to nearly $33 million.
If prolonged, the Boeing strike could further weaken the company’s financial situation. According to analysts, for example, a 50-day strike would have a 5.5 billion dollar impact on Boeing’s turnover.