Boeing Strike Day #1
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Boeing Strike Day #1
Union workers went on strike at 12:01 Saturday morning. The move comes after Boeing requested a 48 hour extension Thursday in the hopes of avoiding a walk-out.
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Posted by: other side of boeing Location: wichita on Sep 16, 2008 at 09:11 PM

I can say FIRST HAND that SPIRIT is NOT in on the BOEING strike. there I capitalized all the important words for those with literacy problems. Spirit is very LARGLY dependant on boeings business, after all boeing is a spirit CUSTOMER! If this strike goes for more than 45-60 days there WILL be layoffs at spirit. Spirit does not have enought other customers to up hold all the people that work there. point blank...
Posted by: Tired of the Union Location: Wichita Area on Sep 15, 2008 at 11:14 AM

You Union guys and gals need to look at what the Union chairs got out of the HBC strike and what the average union member got...I'm out of it for good, all they did was COST ME MONEY!
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 9, 2008 at 12:49 PM

While I feel very sorry for any inconvenience that my decision to vote to strike has caused anyone either directly or indirectly,I stand behind my decision and the reasoning behind it.I also thoroughly enjoy debating the issues, especially with the Union Haters because while I know this is a very emotional subject you make it so easy to pick on you because you choose to just lash out rather than conduct proper research before posting your responses.Thanks
Posted by: Techiechic Location: Kansas on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:49 PM

You go Frank! JJ, you need to go back to third grade and learn grammar and punctuation again apparently. Do the words "run-on sentence" mean anything to you? Oh and there isn't a spell check on this board so what you need to do is write your comment in office first, spell check it, and copy and paste it into here.
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 04:16 PM

Oh Come Now! Are we really going to start calling McDonalds a real job? Yeah, I guess they don't exploit their workers there. Lucky if you get 20 hours per week because they don't want to pay full time benefits. "At any typical McDonald's outlet 80 people are on payroll and 80 percent of those employees are part-time staff. This means that an average work week should be 25 hours, however, many employees work much longer hours. The practice of hiring a "part-time" workforce for full-time hours allows McDonald's to cover overtime work without paying overtime wages. Workers' schedules are adjusted on a daily basis depending upon sales.The demanding work hours, erratic schedules and low pay cause much employment turnover at McDonald's. Within a month, 7 out of 10 starters drop out; old-timers have worked four months". Yeah-what was I thinking!That sounds like a fair place to work.
Posted by: LL839 Union Member Location: Spirit Wichita on Sep 8, 2008 at 04:03 PM

After reading through alot of these comments it really sickens me to hear all the local bashing of our union workforce. Where would Wichita be without Boeing? Spirit? Beech? Cessna? Learjet?It would be a ghost town. Why did I join the union? Because I am tired of being pushed around be cooperate america. I am behind you brothers and sisters!! It will be our turn in 2010! So be ready!!
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichit, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:10 PM

Boeing got very creative with entry rates.For Grade 5 employee as an example:New rate would have been $16 per hour.Employee who is already employed with 1 year of service would typically be at $15.32 per hour.You would think that the 1 year employee would at least be brought up to the new minimum.Ah, but you would be wrong.The creative minds at Boeing say first you have to figure in a .37 cost of living increase(doesn't exist until December but they count it), plus any shift differential,plus the 5% wage increase.So the current employee is now making $16.07(.07 more than brand new employee)
Posted by: CHRIS Location: WICHITA on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:09 PM

MAYBE BOEING WORKERS NEED TO GET A REAL JOB, LIKE AT MCDONALDS.
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:00 PM

Wrong with the Contract: 1.Boeing inserted language that sends work overseas without letting Union look at or bid on the work. 2.Boeing raised entry rates only after 16 years and it only applies to those hired after contract would have taken effect.People in the 12 step progression were not included which means that someone brand new will come in making as much as someone with 1 years of experience. 3.Machinists get 5 days of sick leave compared to the other bargaining units that have 10 days. 4. 401K-other bargaining units get matching funds of .75 while machinists get .50 5. Upon the death of an eligable employee in the Pension Plan, the surviving spouse receives a lump sum payment not greater than $36,000(typical funeral costs $10,000)additional funds in the employees Pension account revert back to the Boeing Company.
Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 8, 2008 at 12:29 PM

NOW NOW NOW, Spirit is not JOINGING in on the strike. So I don't know who told you that Mr. or Ms. M.D. Spirit is being forced to stop production on Boeing made planes because in light of the strike they have closed their doors to anything new. So don't even bring Spirit workers in on this. They are victims!
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 12:20 PM

Funny how people forget why Boeing sold to Onex in 2005...in 2005 Wichita started balking at the $500 million in tax breaks they were giving Boeing and wanted some of that back.Suddenly Boeing wanted to get out of the parts business and sell, and didn't give a second thought to the workforce.In 2005 there were 9000 Boeing employees who started getting their notices.Your right-Corporate America is your friend.My family got 2 weeks to decide whether to take our chances in Wichita or relocate to Seattle.
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 12:00 PM

Please don't presume that you are educated or understand the economics of outsourcing if you believe that the Unions or machinists are somehow responsible for Corporate outsourcing.You need to move back home and go back to school.And please if you are going to speak to someone's education M.D. please make sure you at least use proper spelling and punctuation.
Posted by: Proud Union member Location: wichita on Sep 8, 2008 at 11:49 AM

Why would anyone think that it's ok for the Boeing Company to KEEP your pension plan in the event of your death and leave your spouse with NOTHING after you spent 30-35 years working hard and making this company as successful as it is today. If you think this is fair then I wouldn't call you a very smart person either.
Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 11:48 AM

M.D. "grammer", is spelled grammar.What's wrong with the contract is that after the takeaways my 11% is worth $100 per year.Boeing inserted new language into the contract that does not give the Union an opportunity to even bid on the work before Boeing sends it over to France or Italy.It's all well and good to bury your head in the sand and take whatever scraps your company gives you, but don't blame me for not being a sheep and asking for what's fair.Sure lets outsource everything.Guess you're not as educated as you would like to believe.It's a good thing to volunteer-employees of Boeing have contributed $500 billion over the last 57 years through the Employees Community Fund which is owned and operated by employees and has nothing to do with Boeing itself although Boeing likes to lend it's name to it in the media.
Posted by: M.D. Location: wichita on Sep 8, 2008 at 11:08 AM

Outsource everything!!!!! I'm educated enough, unlike most union members judging by their grammer, to withstand Boeing and Spirit both shutting down. I also volunteer at a nonprofit food bank. I'll see you strikers there soon asking for handouts. Not that each payday isn't a handout to you.
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