The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has issued this short statement:
Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751, District W-24 and District 70 will vote January 3, 2014 on a revised proposal from the Boeing Company that would secure 777X production in the Puget Sound area.
Details of the revised offer will be provided by mail to IAM members and their families prior to the January 3 vote. The new proposal contains significant improvements over an earlier offer from Boeing that was rejected by IAM members on November 13, 2013.
The January 3 vote will take place at IAM Local union halls in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR and Wichita, KS, with results announced later that day.
Boeing (Chicago) today formally launched the 777X program at the 2013 Dubai Airshow with a record-breaking number of customer orders and commitments for the newest member of its twin-aisle product family. Agreements for 259 airplanes from four customers across Europe and the Middle East provide a strong foundation to support development and production of the airplane.
Representing the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by dollar value, 777X orders and commitments include Lufthansa with 34 airplanes; Etihad Airways with 25; Qatar Airways with 50 and Emirates with 150 airplanes. The combined value of the agreements is more than $95 billion at list prices.
The 777X builds on the passenger-preferred and market-leading 777, which today commands 55 percent of market share in its category in terms of backlog, and 71 percent of the in-service fleet worldwide. The 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X, both designed to respond to market needs and customer preferences.
The 777X builds on the best-in-class dispatch reliability from today’s 777, as well as offering more market coverage and revenue capability that surpasses the competition. The 777-8X competes directly with the A350-1000, while the 777-9X is in a class by itself.
Opening new growth opportunities for airlines, the 777-9X offers seating for more than 400 passengers, depending on an airline’s configuration choices. With a range of more than 8,200 nautical miles (15,185 km), the airplane will have the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane.
The second member of the family, the 777-8X, will be the most flexible jet in the world. The airplane will seat 350 passengers and offer an incredible range capability of more than 9,300 nautical miles (17,220 km). In addition, the airplane will have unmatched takeoff and payload capability compared to the competition.
The 777X introduces the latest technologies in multiple places, including the most advanced commercial engine ever โ the GE9X by GE Aviation โ and an all-new high-efficiency composite wing that has a longer span than today’s 777. The airplane’s folding, raked wingtip and optimized span deliver greater efficiency, significant fuel savings and complete airport gate compatibility.
Like the 787 Dreamliner which was launched as the 7E7, the 777X will be formally named at a later date. Design of the 777X is underway and suppliers will be named in the coming months. Production is set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020.
According to Reuters, Boeingย will firm up the configuration of the aircraft in 2015 and plans to have a detailed design by 2016.
Production will begin in 2017, with the first test flight scheduled for 2019 and first delivery in 2020.
Boeing’s (Chicago)ย machinists rejected an eight-year labor contract extension yesterday that would have let Boeing build the company’s newest jetliner in Washington State. Theย IAM members voted down the extension by 67 percent. The extension would have secured an estimated 20 years of work building the proposed 777X.ย This vote may now permanently alter the relationship between Boeing and the Seattle area. The vote will now open a new opportunities for non-union areas like Charleston, South Carolina and other areas to build the new jetliner.
The driving issue for the union was the preservation of their pensions.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes quickly issued a statement from President and CEO Ray Conner after a long-term contract extension was voted down by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 751.
“We are very disappointed in the outcome of the union vote. Our goal was two-fold: to enable the 777X and its new composite wing to be produced in Puget Sound and to create a competitive structure to ensure that we continue market-leading pay, health care and retirement benefits while preserving jobs and our industrial base here in the region. But without the terms of this contract extension, we’re left with no choice but to open the process competitively and pursue all options for the 777X.
I’d like to thank Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington state legislature for all their efforts in this process. We had hoped for a different outcome.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.