Boeing, Workers Reach Tentative Deal To End Strike

Boeing and its striking Seattle-area workers have reached a tentative agreement to end a strike that has lasted over a month, the union said, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The strike has cost an estimated $7.6 billion in direct losses, including at least $4.35 billion for Boeing and almost $2 billion for its suppliers. I Photo: Machinists Union Facebook

Boeing confirmed that a tentative deal was reached, which includes a 35% pay raise over four years and a one-time signing bonus of $7,000. Union members will vote on the proposal this Wednesday.

The strike began on September 13 due to disputes over pay and other compensation issues, according to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) in a message to its members on social media platform X.

The strike has cost an estimated $7.6 billion in direct losses, including at least $4.35 billion for Boeing and almost $2 billion for its suppliers, according to the Anderson Economic Group consultancy.

"It warrants presenting to the members and is worthy of your consideration," said IAM Union District 751.

The strike, which involved about 33,000 unionized workers, mainly in Washington state, halted work at two Seattle-area assembly plants and affected the production of Boeing’s 737 MAX planes.

Workers had been seeking significant wage increases and other improvements, citing over a decade of nearly flat wages amid rising inflation. Wage hikes had been a sticking point, with Boeing initially offering a 25% raise, then 30%, while the union demanded 40%.