Strike Update October 6, 2008

International President Walks the Line

IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger joined Machinists Union members on strike against Boeing on the picket line over the weekend. Buffenbarger spent Saturday at the Portland picket site. On Sunday, Buffenbarger, District 751 President Tom Wroblewski and Aerospace Coordinator Mark Blondin walked the line with members throughout Puget Sound.

Members remain determined in this fight against Corporate America, but we recognize the tremendous toll strikes take on each and every Union family.

The fact is our members have bent over backwards for this Company to make them profitable. We have participated in every lean program, new initiative and offered alternative ideas - all to make them successful. We continue to bail them out - when suppliers have problems and executives make bad decisions - such as ethical issues on the tanker, fixing outsourced parts that come in wrong, and working round-the-clock to fix the flawed 787 production model (which has sent our members around the world to help correct these mistakes). It is our members who step up and get the job done for Boeing every time. We will continue to do that, but not at the price of our jobs.

No one wants a strike, but we have faced a Company determined to carry out the corporate greed that is rampant throughout corporate America. It is that same corporate mentality that is wreaking havoc on our financial markets. Who steps up to bail out these bad executive decisions on Wall Street? Again it is you - the workers. The same is true in our battle for a fair contract. We have stepped up every time and delivered for Boeing. It is time they deliver for us.

Negotiations go both ways. Boeing wants us to narrow down our issues, yet they filled their last offer with numerous changes - all aimed at giving them more leverage and control over the workforce. You read through the book of changes and recognized these were not in the best interest of our members and had the courage to say NO to Boeing. In the last two rounds of bargaining when Boeing had leverage, was there much give and take?

We have repeatedly told the mediator we are willing to talk anytime, but Boeing must be willing to move. We should have started this round of bargaining with the previous contract and made improvements from there. Our top issues have not changed and must be addressed - wages, pensions, health care and job security.

Boeing refuses to explore proposals on job security. The IAM is interested in written contract language that ensures that jobs historically performed by Machinist Union members in our factories will continue to be worked by IAM members. We are not interested in outside contractors performing our work in Boeing facilities, and we seek to compete for work Boeing finds necessary to outsource.

The Union acknowledges that some offset agreements are necessary for sales of the products. We also know that there is a vast amount of outsourced work not related to offsets that could be done more efficiently and less costly in house by the IAM if the IAM were given the opportunity to compete for that work when ALL factors - such as skills and ability of work force, labor costs, material costs, transportation costs, process improvements, delivery (cycle time) costs, rework costs, etc. are taken into consideration. The Union currently has the ability to compete for a very narrow scope of outsourced work, and we seek to broaden that scope.

If the Company truly partnered with the IAM on this issue of outsourcing, together we could react swiftly and appropriately to changing conditions that affect our industry. This is how we ensure the Company's success.

Airline Day on the Line
Support for our strike continues to grow. On Thursday, October 9th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, come join Unionized Alaska Air Group employees (as well as pilots from United Airlines) on the Seattle picket line. These Unions will host a barbecue for striking Boeing Machinists and plan to stand in solidarity on our picket lines to show their support in our fight against Corporate greed and to get our fair share of Boeing profits. Members from the following Unions will host the barbecue:
* Alaska Pilots - represented by Airline Pilots Association (ALPA)
* Alaska Flight Attendants - represented by Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)
* Alaska Clerical & Operations Personnel - represented by IAM District 143
* Alaska Ramp Personnel - represented by IAM District 143
* Horizon Pilots - represented by Teamsters (IBT)
* Horizon Flight Attendants - represented by Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)
* United Airline Pilots - represented by Airline Pilots Association (ALPA)

Members can park at the Seattle Union hall to be shuttled to the picket line. Click here for flyer on the rally.

STRIKE CHECK NEWS
ATTENTION: Members who pick up strike checks at Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe. This Saturday, October 11, 2008 -- one time ONLY-- the north site check distribution will move from the Monroe Fairgrounds to Marysville Pilchuck High School (5611 108^th St. NE, Marysville). Click here for flyer with map to the high school. Look for IAM Parking signs. Check distribution will be in the high school gym.

ALSO: Members living in the 98058 Renton zip code will begin picking their checks up at Green River Community College. The 98058 will pick up at Green River for the remainder of the strike.

Everett Blood Donation
The Puget Sound Blood Center is in desperate need of blood. In response, we have scheduled a blood donation drive at the Everett Union Hall on Thursday, October 9^th from noon to 6 pm (closed 2-3 pm for lunch) through the Puget Sound Blood Center. We need 25 to 30 people to come and give blood at this on-site opportunity to serve our community. Your donation could actually save 3 lives -- what could be better than that?
*If you donated on or before August 14, 2008 you are eligible to donate.

For more information please contact Jackie Boschok at 425-267-3202 or email at jackieb@iam751.org