EVERETT, Wash. — Boeing Co. machinists walked out on strike Saturday after contract talks arbitrated by a federal mediator failed.
About 100 union members hoisted their strike signs at 12:01 a.m. outside the Boeing plant in this city north of Seattle, cheering and blasting air horns at passing cars, many of which honked back.
“It’s been about lack of respect,” said Steve Morrison, 42, a tester at the Everett plant. “They always tell us we’re valued much, but labor is the first out the door, the first to be outsourced.”
This is the machinists’ second strike in as many contract negotiations with Boeing. They struck for 24 days in 2005.
The machinists assemble Boeing’s commercial planes and some key components. Key strike issues include pay, outsourcing, retirement and health care benefits.
The company said it would not try to assemble planes during the strike.
Boeing spokesman Tim Healy said the company is open to further discussion, but both sides were too far apart to reach an agreement. No additional talks were scheduled.
Union members voted to strike Wednesday, but both sides agreed to a 48-hour contract extension — requested by Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and a federal mediator. However, negotiations failed Friday, and the strike was on.
