In a
tremendous show of solidarity, thousands of 751 members walked
off the job on July 9th and stood united behind Union negotiators
in Seattle Center Memorial Stadium. Ninety-eight percent of members
in Puget Sound, Spokane, Wichita, Portland and the outbase locations
voted to grant the Negotiating Committee Strike Authorization.
Yet our solidarity extended beyond just the gates at Boeing. An impressive group of elected officials from federal, state and local levels, as well as community leaders and other labor unions stood united in our effort and demonstrated their support by joining the stage at Memorial Stadium. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels welcomed the enthusiastic crowd. King County Executive Ron Sims fired up the audience with his resounding support.
Boeing got the message loud and clear that our members want a fair contract, as their factories were left idle while waves of workers attended the meeting. Hand-painted banners outlining the issues lined the railings - sending membership messages.
District 751 President Mark Blondin assured cheering members the Union wants a fair agreement, not a strike. He warned Boeing, however that such an agreement must contain significant improvements in retirement benefits and strong guarantees of job security.
Blondin blasted Boeing's direction
since the merger with McDonnell-Douglas in 1997, declaring "These
new corporate leaders seem to have lost their way. The new Boeing
traded people for profits. Jobs were exchanged for airplane sales.
Plants were cut up, dissected, and put up for sale, all in the
name of profits. Boeing peddles this standard line about global
competition, but I don't buy it and neither should you."
"Boeing has reaped record profits, and
they have rewarded us with pink slips. This Union will not allow
Boeing to sacrifice our jobs and our futures to pay for bonuses
at the top," added Blondin.Members had been asking what is job security, and Blondin answered the question in his speech. "Job security will allow you to retire from Boeing when YOU decide...Job security means when you retire, a younger person from our community or a laid-off member has the opportunity to come to work in this highly-skilled, well-paid industrial workforce."
Shouts of approval and a standing
ovation followed mention of pension improvements. Blondin stated,
"Boeing has not contributed one penny to our pension plan
since 1997...The Boeing Pension Plan is overfunded by 3 billion
dollars. We demand that Boeing use the pension in the way that
it was intended to be used - to significantly and substantially
improve benefits for past and future retirees."HSI Administrator Spencer Graham introduced the various speakers, which included Overall Aerospace Coordinator Dick Schneider, IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger, and General Vice President of the Western Territory Lee Pearson. Union Steward Lem Charleston gave the invocation and "Prime Connection" (which features Bonnie Crockett, wife of 751-member Joe Crockett) sang a moving rendition of the "National Anthem" and "God Bless the USA."
Member volunteers counted the ballots under the South Grand Stand, where members could stay and watch the process. This vote enables union members to receive $115 weekly payments from the IAM Strike Fund, if they vote to reject Boeing's contract offer and reaffirm strike sanction at the August 29th vote. This vote is not an indication that a strike will occur.
Special thanks to members Jim Levitt and Brian Stillings for photographing the event.
