Boeing, Union Members Give It 48 Hours

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Reporter: Deb Farris
Email Address: deb.farris@kake.com

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Shortly after their contract expired and they voted to strike, Boeing Machinists went back to work.

"I was kind of upset, ready to walk the picket line last night, but oh well," said Boeing Machinist Rick Cobb Thursday morning.

After voting 87% in favor of a strike and 80% in opposition to Boeing's final offer, union members are giving it one more try. Both sides agreed to a 48 hour extension so they can meet with a federal mediator.

"If the 48 hours is reached and no agreement that we believe is satisfactory to bring to the membership, the picket lines will go up," said union spokesman Steve Rooney.

Boeing's offer included raises of five percent the first year and three percent the second and third years, plus a three percent cost of living increase. Machinists say the amount of the raise is less than the increased amount they'll pay for increases in medical coverage.

"We're disappointed in the vote outcome," said Boeing Spokesman Jarrod Bartlett. "We felt like we offered a great contract to our employees that rewards them with fantastic pay and benefits."

If a compromise isn't reached by Friday night, machinists say they will bring up the picket lines.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 06:38 PM
No there's no limit on how much Corporate earns. McNerney's first year on the job (CEO)while he was "learning the ropes" his pay and benefit package was valued at $53 million. Michael Moore is your hero? "Fahrenheit 9/11, now an event, took in more than $228 million in ticket sales worldwide, a record for a documentary, and sold 3 million DVDs, which brought in another $30 million in royalties. After the theaters took their share of the movie's gross (roughly 50 percent) and distributors deducted the marketing expenses (including prints, advertising, dubbing, and custom clearance) and took their own cut, the net receipts returned to Disney were $78 million.Michael Moore had perhaps the happiest ending of all. Not only had he made $21 million, he already had a sequel in preproduction—Fahrenheit 9/11 ½." Yeah he's just an average joe out to help the little guy...LOL.

Posted by: Frank Location: Formerly Wichita, Now Seattle on Sep 8, 2008 at 04:56 PM
The AVERAGE employee at Boeing makes $31,200 per year or $15 per hour. There have been no General Wage Increases since 1992.Boeing inserted language into the current proposal that lets them outsource work to France or Italy without giving union employees a chance to bid on the work. My 11% raise they generoulsy offered comes out to $100 per year after they added the take aways.So I should just bury my head and accept the scraps and join the rest of the sheep in America who buy into the sob stories of Corporate America?Please..my labor is my product and if Boeing has the right to make a profit on their product that I help make then I absolutely have the right to get my share.

Posted by: wichita Location: wichita on Sep 5, 2008 at 03:46 PM
HELLO "H E L L O" !!! LET THINK A MIN. HERE, IF YOU WORK YOU MAKE $20.00 X 40 HRS.= $800.00 ,, $800.00 x 4 WKS = $3200.00 NOW IF YOU STRIKE $150.00 A WK BUT YOU HAVE TO BE OFF 3 OR 4 WKS TO GET THAT, AND ON TOP OF THAT IF YOUR OFF FOR A MO. , WELL THAT ONLY $600.00 , BUT NO INS. AND YOU GOT TO SEAT THERE AND LOOK AT YOUR BILL'S AND YOU FAMILY AND THINK DO I PAID THIS BILL OR PUT FOOD ON MY TABLE FOR FAMILY OR IF THEY ARE SICK JUST LOOK AT THEM OR HOPE THAT THE DR. WILL WAIT TO GET PAID DOWN THE ROAD ,,, I THINK NOT ! I LIKE TO EAT AND IF MY KIDS ARE SICK I CAN TAKE THEM TO A DR. AND SHOP AND HAVE FUN $150.00 WELL THAT JUST DON'T WORK FOR US ,,, BUT GO AHEAD AND WALK OUT FRIDAY NIGHT (SATURDAY MORNING) 12:01 AND LET THEM KEEP TALKING ABOUT MOVED BOEING TO ?????? WHO KNOW , AND YES WE KNOW YOU DON'T CARE ,, SO BOEING KEEP SMILING

Posted by: cliff Location: wichita on Sep 5, 2008 at 03:03 PM
is there a limit on what top management gets paid? quite a few milionairs when spirit went public, none of them hourly. why should there be a limit just on hourly workers? Michel moore has been your guidance? you must be really easily led around then. learn to think for your self and quit spouting the nonsense put out by the management are gods bunch. they really arent.

Posted by: flyguy Location: ict on Sep 5, 2008 at 01:13 PM
hmmm....it appears they jus voted to strike to show up the local 733...hbc union...boeing has 700 workers here in this town ..i am surprised they arent a lil job scared..but..everyone in the union ..one day there has to be a limit of what we can get paid...and we will have to realize that or we will turn wichita into flint michigan..today you make 20 bucks per hour and tomorrow you will be making 3 m scotch tape for 6 per hour.....jus watch the movie roger and me ..directed by michael moore.....it will make you take off you rose colored safety glasses.. p.s the hbc strike was not a fun filled event...i hope all the hbc new hires found it out the very hard way!!!

Posted by: The Union is too greedy on Sep 5, 2008 at 10:03 AM
I just think all the union members need to get fired & be black balled at any other job they try to get. Then they may see what hardship is REALLY like!

Posted by: Jake Location: Wichita on Sep 5, 2008 at 07:40 AM
Go ahead, strike your jobs to Mexico or maybe China... as long as you stand up for what you believe in, thats what counts, right?

Posted by: Robert Location: Wichita on Sep 5, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Thanks for showing your readers only one side of the story. What about the takeaways? Loss of benefits and increased premiums? tell the whole story, KAKE!

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 5, 2008 at 06:44 AM
By these people being angry and upset that they can't walk the lines shows that it's about more than just getting a good contract. It's about putting on a show, showing others how poorly they are treated. If it were me, I'd be glad to go back to the drawing board before the last resort of striking!

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