Boeing’s firefighters are set to go on a lock out Saturday after Boeing and the firefighter’s union failed to come to an agreement after two-and-a-half months of negotiations, primarily over pay.
The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local I-66 Union consists of 125 members in Washington state who work for Boeing and are tasked with responding to any incidents that happen on the Boeing campus.
“We’re one of the only fire departments left in the country that only gets paid for 20 hours, but we’re on shift for 24 hours,” Boeing Firefighters Local I-66 President Casey Yeager told ABC News, saying Boeing firefighters receive a $50 bonus to stay for four extra hours.
If Boeing and the union aren’t able to reach an agreement, it would be the first time in nearly four decades that a group of firefighters have been on a lock out in the United States.
The firefighters’ union said the goal in the event of a fire at Boeing is to have water or foam on any fire within four minutes, which the union says helps Boeing save billions of dollars on insurance.