IAM District 837 has responded to recent statements from Boeing regarding the ongoing mediation process between the two parties. The union disputes Boeing’s claim that mediation has been ongoing for several weeks.
“While Boeing claims we’ve been engaged in mediation ‘for several weeks,’ that’s simply misleading. The last time we met with the company and the federal mediator was on Sept. 29. Since then, there have been no further mediation sessions,” the union stated.
After the September 29 meeting, IAM District 837 submitted a revised pre-ratification settlement offer through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). According to the union, Boeing rejected this proposal and instead reissued a five-year contract offer that had previously been turned down by union members. The union noted that Boeing made this same offer contingent on a deadline for acceptance, but since it had already been rejected by the membership, it was not brought back for another vote.
The union also stated, “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 around 600,000 active and retired members working in various sectors across North America.
