US: Union slams Boeing's 'best and final offer'

The plane-maker said it made a "best and final offer" to striking workers, including bigger raises and bonuses, but the union said the proposal wasn't good enough.



Striking Boeing workers have already rejected the company's offer made earlier this monthImage: David Ryder/REUTERS

Union negotiators on Monday said Boeing's new offer to raise hourly wages for striking workers by 30% "did not go far enough" to address concerns, and "Boeing has missed the mark with this proposal."

"They are trying to drive a wedge between our members and weaken our solidarity with this divisive strategy," union negotiators said in a message to members.

The union complained that Boeing announced its latest offer to 33,000 striking workers without first negotiating with union negotiators.
What did Boeing say?

"We presented a best and final offer that made significant improvements and addresses feedback from the union and our employees," Boeing said.

The new offer is more generous than the one that was rejected by an overwhelming majority of workers earlier this month. The company said the offer includes salary increases of 30% over four years, up from 25% in the first proposal. The union's original demand was for a 40% increase over three years.

Boeing had sweetened its original offer in an effort to end a 10-day work stoppage that shut down plants in the Seattle area.

The aerospace giant gave workers until midnight Friday to ratify its offer.
What will the union do?

However, the union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), said there wasn't enough time to discuss the offer with members and organize a vote before Boeing's deadline.

The IAM negotiator said that the union will survey the workers on the offer.

The strike has added to Boeing's woes as it faces heavy scrutiny from regulators due to safety problems.

The plane-maker generates much of its income from delivering new airplanes, but the strike has halted production of 737s, 777s and 767s.

dh/jsi (AP, AFP, Reuters)