Life is a beach – even when you’re on strike!
A high-profile Boeing machinist found a way to wait out stalled labor negotiations from the comfort of a Mexican getaway by posting images of his vacation on social media.
Rob Sharpe, who a source told DailyMail.com works in equipment services at a company factory in Puyallup, Washington, can be seen reclining on an easy chair while holding a small “ON STRIKE” sign.
Another photo shows him flexing his biceps while wearing a T-shirt and flip-flops on a beach, with thatched umbrellas in the background.
“I’m speechless,” said a source familiar with the high-stakes talks and who had heard anecdotally that some strikers skipped town as management and workers were locked in a stalemate in contract negotiations. ‘It’s hunting season. You’ve got the salmon jumping and the halibut in Washington state… They’ve run out of supply from March and are going on vacation.”
“On strike in Puerto Villarta, Jalisco, Mexico,” the post read, with the hashtags “#iam751” and “#boeing,” referring to the local aerospace machinists union.
A high-profile member of the machinists’ union posted an image on the Boeing employee message board. Union members have yet to accept the company’s latest contract offer
The images appeared on a Facebook group for striking Boeing employees that is promoting the labor action. The union represents 33,000 striking workers.
It came because rank-and-file union members have rejected the “best and final offer” so far.
The strike halted production of the 737 Max and other planes during a year in which Boeing suffered a series of setbacks. The company says it is losing $100 million a day due to the strike.
Both sides are facing pressure to move. The total cost of the strike to the company, its employees and suppliers as of September 27 was $1.4 billion, according to an analysis by the Anderson Economic Group.
The union complained that the company made its offer public instead of submitting it directly to union negotiators.
Workers went on strike on September 13 after rejecting a deal
The strike is the latest obstacle for the company, which has struggled with mechanical problems over the past year
The latest offer includes salary increases and an increased 401(k) contribution from the company
Nice catch: Other striking workers posted about bringing in salmon on a Facebook site for striking workers
The latest offer includes a 30% pay increase over four years, up from an earlier offer of 25%, but lower than the 40% the union is aiming for over three years.
It also includes a $6,000 ratification bonus, doubled from $3,000 in a previous tentative agreement. With a 401(k) match, the company would match 100% of the employee’s first 8% of co-payments, in addition to an automatic 4% company contribution.
According to the union, the proposal does not go far enough and the company has ‘missed the mark’. It said it would survey its members on how they would respond to the offer.
DailyMail.com has contacted local machinists’ union 751 and the company, as well as Sharpe.
A prolonged strike could cause headaches for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is hoping for a better outlook on the economy to get voters to back her in a tight race with Donald Trump. A threatened dock workers’ strike next week poses a new challenge.
The Biden administration issued a balanced statement as the strike began, saying administration officials were in contact with both sides.
“Administration officials are in contact with Boeing and the engineers. We encourage them to negotiate in good faith – toward an agreement that gives workers the benefits they deserve and makes the company stronger,” White House spokeswoman Robyn Patterson told DailyMail.com.
The latest offer was rejected in a union statement on Monday. “This offer was not negotiated with your union; it was thrown at us without any discussion.
“This proposal does not go far enough to address your concerns, and Boeing has missed the mark with this proposal. They are trying to drive a wedge between our members and weaken our solidarity with this divisive strategy.” The negotiating committee called it a “blatant show of disrespect” and referred the question to its members.
The internal survey results were “overwhelmingly clear, almost as loud as the first offer: members are not interested in the company’s latest offer,” the union said Tuesday.
A source familiar with the strike said it was a remarkable sight. “Mexico, photo strike – I’ll tell you,” the source said, but said there was nothing wrong with getting away while the strike is ongoing.
“People may choose to take a lot of vacations,” the source said, noting that strikers can receive wages from a strike fund and that some trade their strike time to others, exchanging cash for picket hours. “We’re all in this together.”