Union Rejects Boeing Contract; Talks to Resume

SEATTLE — The union representing 40,000 machinists for Boeing Co. voted Friday to reject a company contract, but union leaders asked workers to ignore a midnight strike deadline and both sides agreed to resume negotiations today.

Most of the membership rejected the contract offer because it did not contain a general wage increase, Jack Daniels, a union negotiator, said. He said no vote totals were available. Any contract needed the approval of a majority of the membership.

Mediator Doug Hammond said the two sides would meet at 10 a.m. today at his Seattle office.

Boeing spokesman Craig Martin said the company had no comment on the union’s vote against the contract. He said the company plans to continue to operate its plants even if a strike is called.

Earlier Friday, some angry workers tore up the offer and jeered as its details were outlined in a mass meeting of more than 20,000 Puget Sound-area employees at the Kingdome.

Tom Baker, president of Local 751 of the International Assn. of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, said the union “sent a clear signal that we could not recommend (Boeing’s offer) for acceptance.”

However, he said the offer contained some better provisions, including medical coverage and making membership in the union mandatory for workers.

Union members were especially unhappy about the absence of a wage increase. The company’s offer would instead provide employees lump-sum payments spread over three years.

In the first year, machinists would get a sum equal to 12% of their salary in the previous year, followed by 5% payments the next two years. For a machinist earning $30,000 a year, it would mean $6,600 over three years.