Boeing is facing a significant strike that poses a risk to aircraft production after employees voted overwhelmingly against a tentative contract negotiated by their unions.
On Friday, thousands of workers initiated a walkout in the Seattle and Portland, Oregon regions, which is likely to hinder operations at facilities where Boeing builds the majority of its commercial aircraft. Although the contract proposed by the unions included substantial pay raises and enhancements to benefits, 95 percent of workers chose to reject it, opting to use the strike as leverage for better terms.
Here are some key details regarding the company’s first strike in 15 years:
How many workers are participating in the strike?
Boeing, a leading exporter in the United States, has nearly 150,000 employees nationwide, with around half based in Washington State, and over 170,000 globally. The contract that triggered the strike affects about 20 percent of the company’s workforce.
Most of the 33,000 workers under this contract are members of District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which is Boeing’s largest union. A significant number of these members are engaged in the production of commercial planes in the Seattle area. Additionally, workers from the Portland, Oregon area, who belong to the smaller District W24 of the same union, are also participating in the strike.