A motorcycle rally and a rock show. Boeing machinists vote to strike

Unionized Boeing machinists voted Wednesday to strike if they cannot agree on a contract with the company by this fall. Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751 rallied in downtown Seattle, demanding better pay and benefits from Boeing in their new contract.

The machinists who build, maintain, and repair Boeing planes in Washington approved the strike by 99.9%, the union says. That unity was clear on Wednesday even before the ballots were cast.

The roar of hundreds of motorcycles echoed off the walls of the Mariners ballpark on Wednesday afternoon as Boeing machinists, fabricators, and others rode into SoDo for the big union vote.

Lines of workers, many with their families, wrapped around the block to get inside the arena. Many wore matching shirts that said, “OUR FUTURE, OUR FIGHT.” One volunteer at an entrance gate said she had never seen so many members at a meeting before.

They were there not to see the struggling Mariners but, with the union’s contract about to expire, to vote on whether to strike this September if a contract can’t be reached with Boeing.

The last time the union went on strike was more than 15 years ago shortly before the 2008 housing crisis.

During those contract negotiations workers lost key benefits like retirement plans and pay increases to keep up with inflation.

“Pensions were cut out and we’re trying to get back pensions for a lot of people,” said Annie Coleman, who’s worked at Boeing since 1996 in quality control.

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Inside the ballpark organizers hung signs and banners from the seats. Some read, “NO PAY, NO PLANES,” and “FIGHT FOR MORE.”

The main event, which was delayed due to how many people showed up, kicked off with the feel of a rock show for the major league arena. Union presidents and representatives walked to shallow center field as Eminem's “Lose Yourself” blared from the stadium speakers. The crowd waved hand towels and cheered, fired up ahead of the vote.

“Feeling really proud right now,” said Rex Prasad, who repairs airplanes. “Look at us, we’re a big unit and we’re moving in numbers.”

“We gotta get reimbursed for our hard work,” Prasad added. “We put in a lot of work, and there's been a lot going on in Boeing these past few years, so it'll be really nice to be recognized, and everyone gets what they deserve.”

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During the financial crisis workers did not have a lot of negotiating power.

But analyst Scott Hamilton said, with Boeing’s recent safety disasters and investigations, that’s changed.

“They have all the leverage at this time, and it would just be another disaster for Boeing and its customers if they were to go on strike,” Hamilton said.

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Boeing could not afford plane production stopping even for one day, he said, and any sort of strike, “would have real deep ramifications and Boeing’s losses would even get deeper.”

Hamilton also noted that if the negotiations go to mediation, he doesn't think the National Labor Relations Board would interfere with a strike.

“This is an election year and since Joe Biden likes to talk about how pro-union he is, I don't see see that the Biden administration would intervene,” he said.

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In an emailed statement, a Boeing spokesperson said the company is confident they can reach an agreement with the union and they support members participating in the vote.

The union and Boeing have been in negotiations since March. If a contract isn’t approved, more than 32,000 employees could walk off the job in September.