Key Boeing supplier will suspend operations after strike vote

Spirit AeroSystems, a major airline supplier, announced it will suspend operations at an essential plant in Kansas after its employees voted to strike.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents Spirit Aerosystems employees, voted Wednesday to strike. Spirit AeroSystems, which builds the fuselage for Boeing’s 737 Max narrowbody jet, said in a statement Wednesday that all employees represented by the union are not going to report to work Thursday but will receive pay for their scheduled work hours.

The strike is scheduled to begin Saturday.

“We are disappointed that our employees represented by the IAM rejected our four-year contract offer and voted to strike. We believe that our fair and competitive offer recognizes the contributions of our employees and ensures we can successfully meet increasing demand for aircraft from our customers,” Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, said in a statement. 

“We know that no one wins in a work stoppage; however, we respect the rights of our represented employees. Despite this setback, we are not distracted from the task at hand. We look forward to continued meetings with IAM leadership,” the supplier added. 

About 6,000 members of the union voted to reject Spirit AeroSystems last “best and final” offer after 13 years without a fully negotiated statement, the union said in a statement Thursday.

“The IAM’s dedicated and hardworking membership at Spirit AeroSystems has worked without fail during tumultuous times, including a pandemic that saw everything grind to a halt,” the union said in a statement Thursday. “Most of our members have concluded that the company’s offer is unacceptable. IAM District 70 and Local 839 will regroup and begin planning the following steps to bring the company back to the table.”

The tentative deal that was reached included up to a compounded 34 percent average pay bump through increases in general wages, adjustments for costs of living and a guaranteed annual bonus. It also included nearly a 15 percent increase in retirement benefits, which included a 401(k) match of 50 cents on the dollar for up to 4 percent total. It also included voluntary Sunday overtime and increased paid time off, according to a statement released by the union earlier this month.