Boeing has narrowly escaped a potentially disastrous strike at its north-west USA plants after only 61% of machinists' union members voted for a walkout, falling short of the required 66%. A strike by 1,400 staff has hit its Philadelphia site, however.
The company and members of the United Auto Workers union have been talking to federal mediators since the action began on 14 September, but late last week there were no plans for further negotiations.
"We have 3,500 other employees who are non-union, so some work is being done," says Boeing. "However, we are obviously not at full production."
Boeing manufactures fuselages for the Bell Boeing V-22 at the site as well as remanufacturing the CH-47.
In the north-west, the union was voting on Boeing's latest contract offer. After it failed to obtain a strike vote, the contract was automatically accepted.
Source: Flight International
