After the most recent round of talks with the firefighters’ union failed to produce a wage agreement, Boeing locked out its private force of firefighters who guard its aircraft manufacturing facilities in the Seattle area and brought in replacements.
The company announced on Saturday that it had locked out roughly 125 firefighters and a facility located in central Washington, some 170 miles (275 kilometers) away. The firefighters can request assistance from nearby fire departments and act as first responders in the event of a fire or medical emergency.
Boeing BA, +0.53% said in a statement, “We did not reach an agreement with the union despite extensive discussions through an impartial federal mediator.”
“At this point, we have locked out bargaining unit members and completely executed our backup plan, using highly skilled firefighters to carry out the duties of (union) members.”
The International Association of Firefighters union claimed in a statement on Saturday that the goal of Boeing’s lockout is to “punish, intimidate and coerce its firefighters into accepting a contract that undervalues their work.”
Edward Kelly, general president of the IAFF, said, “Boeing corporate greed over safety, Boeing has decided to lockout our members and the safety of the Washington facilities has been needlessly put at risk.”
Boeing emphasized that its operations will be unaffected by the lockout.
After a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft flying over Oregon in January, the company has been losing more than $24 billion since the beginning of 2019. This has led to increased scrutiny over the quality and safety of Boeing’s manufacturing processes, which is why the labor dispute has arisen.
After two and a half months of negotiations, Boeing and the union are still at odds. Every party charges the other of engaging in negotiations in bad faith.
The Arlington, Virginia-based company announced on Saturday that its most recent offer includes both general yearly wage increases and a new compensation structure for firefighters working 24-hour shifts. This new compensation structure would result in an approximate $21,000 annual wage increase for firefighters. According to Boeing, last year’s average pay for firefighters was $91,000.
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The union has stated that it is requesting raises of 40% to 50%. The union claims that by hiring its own on-site firefighters, Boeing has avoided billions of dollars in insurance costs. According to the union, even with Boeing’s proposed pay increase, crews in the cities where Boeing plants are located would still make 20% to 30% less than firefighters.
Boeing’s demand that firefighters wait 19 years instead of 14 years to reach the top pay scale is a major source of contention. The union suggests a five-year term.
