Boeing locks out its private firefighters around Seattle over pay dispute
Boeing has locked out its private force of firefighters who protect its aircraft factories in the Seattle area and appointed replacements after the latest round of negotiations with the firefighters’ union failed to reach an agreement on wages.
The company said Saturday it had locked out about 125 firefighters and a facility about 170 miles (275 kilometers) away in central Washington. The firefighters act as first responders to fires and medical emergencies and can call for help from local fire departments.
“Despite extensive discussions through an impartial federal mediator, we have not reached an agreement with the union,” Boeing said in a statement. “We have now excluded members of the bargaining unit and fully implemented our emergency plan, with highly qualified firefighters carrying out the work of (union) members.”
In a statement Saturday, the International Association of Firefighters union said Boeing’s lockout is intended to “punish, intimidate and force firefighters to accept a contract that undervalues their work.”
“By putting corporate greed above safety, Boeing has decided to exclude our members and has needlessly compromised the safety of Washington facilities,” said Edward Kelly, IAFF general president.
Boeing emphasized that the exclusion will have “no impact” on its operations.
The labor dispute comes as Boeing faces mounting losses — more than $24 billion since the start of 2019 — and renewed scrutiny over production quality and safety since a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max in January who flew over Oregon.
Boeing and the union remain far apart in their negotiations, which have lasted two and a half months. Each side accuses the other of bad faith negotiating.
The company, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, said Saturday that its latest offer includes across-the-board annual pay increases and a new compensation structure for 24-hour shift firefighters, which would result in an average wage increase of about $21,000 per year. Boeing says firefighters received an average of $91,000 last year.
The union, which claims Boeing has saved billions in insurance costs by hiring its own firefighters on site, has said it is seeking increases of 40 to 50 percent. Boeing’s proposed pay increase would still leave crews earning 20% to 30% less than firefighters in the cities where Boeing factories are located, the union said.
A major sticking point is Boeing’s requirement that firefighters wait 19 years before reaching the top pay grade, an increase from 14 years. The union proposes five years.