Boeing not taking strike talks seriously, union says

SEATTLE

The union for striking Boeing workers said on Sept. 17 the aviation giant was not "taking mediation seriously," after some 33,000 U.S. employees walked out last week over a contract dispute, effectively shutting down two Seattle-area plants.

"We will not mince words, after a full day of mediation, we are frustrated," said a statement from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), after its representatives met with Boeing negotiators.

"The company was not prepared and was unwilling to address the issues you've made clear are essential for ending this strike: Wages and Pension. The company doesn't seem to be taking mediation seriously," the statement said.

"Today, we ask Boeing not to miss the opportunity to recognize its workers by presenting a contract that can resolve this labor dispute so we can get back to building and delivering Boeing aircraft," said the union statement.

Members of the IAM District 751 have been picketing 24 hours a day following the walkout on Sept. 13, shuttering factories in Renton and Everett that assemble the 737 MAX and 777.

Boeing had been hopeful about averting a strike after reaching a preliminary deal with IAM leadership that included a 25 percent general wage increase over four years and reduced mandatory overtime.

But rank-and-file workers blasted the deal as insufficient.