Oct. 24 (UPI) — Striking Boeing Machinists voted Wednesday night to reject a tentative deal with the struggling aerospace giant and continue its nearly six-week strike.
The 33,000 union members with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted 64% against the proposal that was meant to end the walkout, which began on Sept. 13.
“We remain on strike,” Machinists District 751 President Jon Holden said in Seattle after the vote.
“We have made tremendous gains in this agreement, in many of the areas our members said are important to them,” Holden added. “However, we have not achieved enough to meet our members’ demands.”
Boeing reached a tentative deal with the machinists Saturday, with an offer that included a 35% pay hike over four years, a $7,000 signing bonus and improved health and retirement benefits.
Over the weekend, IAM members reminded the company that they were striking to regain some of the lost ground over the past decade, to improve job security protections and overtime rules.