New Delhi

Boeing and its machinists’ union have reached a new contract proposal, the union said Saturday, outlining  a deal that could end a more than month-long strike that has hobbled the manufacturers’ aircraft  production as detailed in a report by CNBC.

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The CNBC report further stated that the new proposal includes 35 per cent wage increases over four years, a higher signing bonus of $7,000, guaranteed minimum payouts in an annual bonus program and higher 401(k) contributions among other changes. Whereas, the ratification vote is set for Wednesday i.e., on October 23.

The acting US Secretary of Labor Julie Su met with both parties earlier this week. “With the help of acting US  Secretary of Labor Julie Su, we have received a negotiated proposal and resolution to end the strike, and it warrants presenting to the members and is worthy of your consideration,” the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751 said in a statement Saturday.

Brief history of Boeing

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The Boeing Company is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support services. Boeing is among the largest global aerospace manufacturers. It is also one of the largest defense contractor in the world based on revenue. The company has been consistently ranked as one of the largest exporters in the United States by dollar value. Boeing was founded by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington, on July 15, 1916. The present corporation is the result of the merger of Boeing with McDonnell Douglas on August 1, 1997.

Role of the US Government in resolving the dispute

“President Biden believes the collective bargaining process is the best way to achieve good outcomes for workers, and the ultimate decision on a contract will be for the union workers to decide,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement.

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The strike began on September 13 after more than 30,000 machinists overwhelmingly rejected a tentative agreement that included 25 per cent wage increases over four years. Boeing later made improved offer but the union blasted it saying it was not negotiated.

“We look forward to our employees voting on the negotiated proposal,” Boeing said in a statement. Boeing is working to stop bleeding cash as it grapples with a safety crisis stemming from a near-catastrophic door plug blowout on one of its 737 Maxes at start the year and challenges in its other programs.

The company earlier this month stated that it will report a deep loss and take charges of about $5 billion in its commercial and defense units. A ratified contract on Wednesday, when Boeing also reports full results, would be a victory for new CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took the company’s top job in August, tasked with reshaping the company.

Further on October 11, he announced job cuts of 10 per cent of Boeing’s workforce and that the company will stop making 767s when orders are fulfilled in 2027. It is now to be seen how things evolve going forward, with market participants and investors looking forward to a final resolution to the dispute.