SEATTLE — The union representing more than 23,500 technical and professional employees at The Boeing Company said the announcement that the aerospace giant may lay off thousands more employees if the International Association of Machinists (IAM Local 751) strikes this fall is a “blatant scare tactic that just won’t work.”
The IAM and Boeing are currently negotiating a new three year contract. SPEEA opens talks with Boeing in October. On Wednesday, Boeing issued a document to its managers outlining plans for dealing with an IAM strike. The document stated:
“In the case of an extended strike, we may have to consider temporary layoffs, or involuntary leaves without pay, as the amount of work we have to perform diminishes.”
Boeing has never laid off other workers to deal with an employee strike. In the past 12 months, the aerospace giant has laid off nearly 30,000 employees. At the same time, Boeing has transferred engineering and technical work to Moscow, Russia and manufacturing work on the 737 from Wichita, Kansas to the Peoples Republic of China.
“This is management by fear,” said Charles Bofferding, executive director of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, AFL-CIO. “The tools are already being assembled to fight this with everything we have if the Company actually attempts to implement this plan.”
SPEEA contracts prohibit Boeing from locking employees out in the event of work stoppage or a strike by another labor union. However, the contracts do have provisions that could provide an avenue for the Company to lay off “manufacturing employees” to deal with a labor stoppage by the IAM. This provision would not allow Boeing to lay off thousands of SPEEA employees who do not directly support manufacturing.
“We would demand the Company show proof that the jobs held by people targeted for layoff were manufacturing jobs,” Bofferding said.
Even if this occurred, SPEEA General Counsel Phyllis Rogers said Boeing will need to follow the provisions of the WARN Act and give SPEEA-represented employees 60-days notice of layoff.
“Once again, Boeing is demonstrating why employees need a union,” Bofferding said. “For non-union employees, this scare tactic is a real threat. For employees represented by a labor union, this is a hollow threat.”
In the wake of the Company’s statement, SPEEA activated its contingency plan to deal with this type of action by Boeing. SPEEA leaders and staff are now assembling the data that will allow the union to immediately file an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against Boeing if necessary. Other actions are also being considered.
SPEEA President Jennifer MacKay, an engineer at the Boeing Spokane plant, said the statement regarding more layoffs appears to be aimed at driving a wedge between Boeing’s labor unions.
“We will not let a Company scare tactic diminish our support for the IAM,” MacKay said. “The IAM supported our 40-day strike in 2000 and we are ready to provide the same assistance to them if necessary.”
SPEEA and the IAM were among the unions last week announcing the creation of the Coalition of Labor Unions at Boeing (CLUB); a group dedicated to supporting each other in labor negotiations.
SPEEA members will join the IAM for a march and rally on August 25, at the Doubletree Hotel in SeaTac, Washington. The event, which includes a family barbecue, starts a 1 p.m. at the hotel.
The Boeing Company’s announcement regarding the potential for layoffs is also being addressed by President MacKay, Bofferding and the Wichita Engineering Negotiations team at an all-member meeting today in Wichita, Kansas. That meeting is set for 5 p.m. at Bestor Brown’s Lodge, 812 S. Oliver, Wichita.
Three SPEEA Negotiation Teams are currently working on contract proposals that will be delivered to Boeing during the first week of September. The Puget Sound Professional and Technical bargaining unit contracts expire Dec. 1. The Wichita Engineering Unit contract expires Dec. 5.
SPEEA represents 23,500 engineers, technical and other professional workers at Boeing in Washington, Kansas, Oregon, California, Texas, Utah and Florida. The union currently has a major organizing effort taking place at Boeing in St. Louis.