By Allison Lampert and David Shepardson
(Reuters) – Boeing’s largest union on Tuesday urged new CEO Kelly Ortberg to get more involved in contract negotiations to end a strike by about 33,000 U.S. West Coast workers after the U.S. planemaker cut their health care benefits.
In August, the former Rockwell Collins executive took over the reins of Boeing, which has been rocked by several crises this year, including the strike that has hit production of Boeing’s best-selling 737 MAX jet.
“It’s time for the new CEO to really get involved at the proposal-based level and to take the reins from his subordinates who fumble critical decisions like this,” said Brian Bryant, president of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) and Aerospace. Workers, representing the striking workers.
“There is no reason the issue of health benefits could not have been discussed to allow more time for negotiations at the table,” Bryant added in a statement.
The Sept. 30 deadline for striking workers to access their Boeing health insurance plans had long been known, and the union urged workers on Monday to find alternatives.
Talks between Boeing and the IAM’s District 751, which is negotiating the deal, broke off last week and it is not clear when discussions will resume.
“We remain committed to restoring our relationship with our represented employees and negotiating in good faith, and want to reach an agreement as soon as possible,” Boeing said in a statement.
Boeing workers in the Seattle area and Portland, Ore., walked off the job Sept. 13 in the union’s first strike since 2008, halting production of three commercial airplane models and increasing financial pressure on the planemaker.
The union is seeking a 40% wage increase and the restoration of a defined benefit pension that was removed from the contract a decade ago.
Boeing made an improved offer last week to the striking workers that it described as its “best and last,” which would give workers a 30% pay rise over four years and restore a performance bonus, but the union said a survey of its members showed that was not enough.
(Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)