The unions announced this Saturday an agreement in principle in favor of the 33,000 employees of the American aeronautical giant Boeing who have been on strike for five weeks.
The agreement still must be ratified by a majority of the rank-and-file members of the International Association of Machinists before it takes effect and workers can return to work.
The members already almost unanimously rejected a previous provisional agreement, which precipitated the first strike at the company in 16 years, but the union’s latest statement understands that the new offer deserves to be put to a vote by the members, reports CNN.
Under the terms, the offer will increase salaries by 35% over the four-year life of the contract. It will also increase company contributions to members’ retirement plans, although it will not restore the traditional pension plan that was taken away from union members 10 years ago.
The union credited acting Labor Secretary Julie Su with negotiating the deal in indirect talks between the union and management.
Su had also negotiated an end to an International Longshoremen’s Association strike at dozens of ports on the East and Gulf coasts earlier this month, following a three-day walkout earlier this month.
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