Striking machinists voted 90% to 10% on Friday to approve a union-proposed contract.
It was then sent to Boeing as a pre-approved agreement in an attempt to end the seven-week strike in St. Louis.
But Boeing St. Louis Vice President of Air Dominance Dan Gillian said union leadership’s offer was “not real.”
“Our previous offer is real and would make our team among the highest paid manufacturing employees in the St. Louis area,” Gillian said in a statement.
This comes after members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 voted 57% to 43% last week to reject Boeing’s third contract proposal.
“A week ago, it wasn't sure how much solidarity we had based on the result of the vote being split,” said union member Frank Maniaci. “It's great to see that solidarity has returned.”
The four-year contract includes:
- Annual general wage increases of 8%, 4%, 4% and 4%. Members at the top of the pay scale would receive 8%, $1.50 per hour, $1.50 and 4% each year.
- 100% company match on the first 8% of employee 401(k) contributions.
- A $10,000 ratification bonus, which could be deferred into a 401(k) or health savings account.
The union said their proposal addressed issues members had with raises for top-earning employees, the $4,000 signing bonus and the 401(k) plan. The current proposal from the company is a 75% match on the first 8% of 401(k) contributions.
The most recent five-year contract proposal from Boeing called for a 5% lump sum in years two and four rather than a raise for top-paid employees.
Gillian had said on Tuesday that the vote was a “waste of time.” Maniaci disagrees.
“I believe it was just a way to discourage members to come out and vote and share their voice, and as we have seen, it ended up not being a waste of time,” Maniaci said.
Many union members have been looking at the agreement the company reached with striking workers in Seattle late last year. That contract gave more than 30,000 workers a $12,000 ratification bonus and the same 401(k) plan that IAM District 837 leadership proposed.
“Why aren't these folks worth that?” IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett said of the Seattle contract. “These folks have proven their abilities time and again on providing good defense systems to the government and taking care of the security of this country.”
Boeing officials have told the union that it needs specifics on what its members want. Bennett said this vote does just that.
“They've said they needed assurances. Well, here's their assurance,” Bennett said. “These people just said they would return to work for what they just voted. Now the ball is in your court.”
For some members, the union-proposed contract still wasn’t enough. Robert Sell voted against it because members at the top of the pay scale get lower raises.
“I've been doing this for 20 years,” Sell said. “You're going to freeze my pay, I'm going to start looking elsewhere.”
Sell said he knows many union members who are already seeking new employment.
No formal announcement of further negotiation has been announced. The union said it will continue to strike unless an agreement is reached with Boeing.
IAM District 837 represents about 3,200 Boeing factory workers in St. Louis, St. Charles and Mascoutah.
