IAM Union District 837 has responded to recent statements from Boeing regarding the status of mediation talks amid an ongoing labor dispute. The union said Boeing’s claim that both parties have been engaged in mediation “for several weeks” is inaccurate.
According to the union, the last meeting involving Boeing, the union, and a federal mediator took place on September 29. Since then, no additional mediation sessions have occurred.
The union stated, “Following that meeting, the union submitted a modified version of our pre-ratification settlement offer through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Boeing rejected that proposal and instead re-issued the same five-year contract offer that had already been rejected by our membership. They made that same rejected offer contingent on acceptance by a specific deadline, but because it had previously been voted down, it was not brought back for another vote.”
The union added that it has communicated its willingness to resume mediation with just 24 hours’ notice. “In good faith, we notified Boeing—through FMCS—that the union remains ready to return to mediation with just 24 hours’ notice. As of today, the company has not provided any dates of availability.”
The statement concluded, “Our goal remains to reach a fair agreement that addresses the issues our members have clearly identified. We continue to stand ready to meet at any time to reach a resolution and end this strike.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents about 600,000 active and retired members in various industries throughout North America.
