Boeing workers staging rally in Seattle as strike enters fifth week

Striking Boeing employees will demonstrate Tuesday in Seattle to demand increased wages and benefits as the walkout reaches its second month. 

Thousands are expected to attend the rally at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Seattle union hall at noon Pacific time. Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Sen. Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, will speak alongside IAM District 751 President Jon Holden at the event.

This will be the largest rally the union has held since the strike began last month. Workers have held smaller picket line demonstrations since the start of the work stoppage. 

The rally comes after acting Labor Secretary Julie Su met with Boeing and IAM leadership on Monday to try to bring both parties back to the negotiating table. 

However, tensions between the airline giant and the union remain high, especially after the company’s announcement last week that it would cut 17,000 jobs to avoid economic disaster. According to some reports, Boeing will begin issuing layoff notices in November. 

Unionized staff will likely avoid the layoffs, with the company’s layoff plan suggesting cuts to Boeing’s white-collar staff. 

Still, striking Boeing workers are feeling the impact of the strike. Most on-strike workers lost their company health care coverage after it expired on Sept. 30. IAM leadership has blamed Boeing for letting it lapse. 

The work stoppage has meant that Boeing’s economic picture has worsened, with production halted on its popular 737, 767 and 777 planes. According to some analysts, the strike will cost Boeing $100 million in daily revenue. 

Last month, Boeing offered its “best and final” offer, which included a 30% wage hike and a performance bonus. IAM workers overwhelmingly rejected the offer a week later and reaffirmed their demand for a 40% increase.