Wash. leaders press for union vote on Boeing offer

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP:Excite.

By MIKE BAKER

SEATTLE (AP) - Political pressure is building in support of letting Puget Sound machinists vote on a Boeing contract proposal in high-stakes negotiations to keep thousands of jobs in Washington state.

Leaders in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers publicly differed Friday on whether to bring Boeing's latest contract offer to a vote, exposing tensions within the union over how to proceed.

National, state and local political leaders called for a vote, even though local union leaders have already rejected the company's latest offer.

The contract would secure work on Boeing's new 777X airplane at a time when 22 states are competing for those jobs. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that union membership gives each worker a say in his or her future and workers should have the opportunity to exercise that right.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131214/DAAM20Q83.html

[mtasselin]

1. why not

This is what democracy is all about, let the membership vote on their future, who hows the issues better then them.

[pnwmom]

2. Not letting them have a vote plays into the hands of the right-to-work people.

The unions have to be strong enough to let their members make the final determination.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. agreed. nt

[okaawhatever]

4. I can't speak for the union, but i think much of this economic b.s. prior to 2014 might have to be

grin and bear it until a new Congress is elected. If the dems take over, much will be improved and the right-to-work states will seem less competitive. If the dems don't have majority but the elections show a democratic leaning future, Boeing may decide to stop playing cat and mouse.

[freshwest]

6. +1. We don't know which part of the membership wants the contract until they vote, and...

there are many things that will influence their votes.

Many are unwilling to leave the state, have families, land and other community assets they would not get to manage or enjoy if they move to follow a job to another state. If Dems take over this will go better, I feel inslee and the legislature are not in total agreement.

But we have to understand that all the people in unions in this state are not Democrats, some are hostile to the message of traditional unionism, despite the benefits they recieve.

We don't know if the managers of the union are speaking for all of them without the vote. The SOW made great efforts this time to keep Boeing from moving more out of state. The reason being that many other jobs that are other fields are affected by Boeing's ability to employ many well trained and well paid people, the related R&D, manufacturing as well as shipping involved.

They are not just speaking for themselves. We may want to think we are dealing with the union members of the old days, but we are not. I say let them vote and fight it out, not give Boeing any more reasons to seek concessions elsewhere. That is the main danger.

The changes in the contract don't match the jobs that could be lost or the economic value to their neighbors. They don't want to be unemployed or have to leave the state, either. The members are the ones who know what is up. If the contract is truly an abomination to the majority of union members, they can vote it down and live with the consequences.

[Diego_Native 2012]

5. I can understand not bringing it to a vote,

though I agree, in a perfect world the ideal of democracy demands it go to a vote.

But...with the very real threat by Boeing to move the jobs unless the contract is approved 'as is' is tantamount to a vote held at gunpoint. A fair vote would require Boeing to accept a "no" vote and make no changes to the existing contract AND keep the jobs in the state. That isn't what's at stake, though.