Ongoing strike 33,000 Boeing machinists Things took a dangerous turn on Monday when security officers pulled guns on workers walking along a picket line outside the aircraft manufacturer’s main facility in Seattle during an altercation.
A King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch that deputies responded to a “report of a disturbance” at a Boeing parts distribution center at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport early Monday, pointing to reports that protesters were blocking access to the facility.
According to the sheriff’s office, the guard flashed his gun as he left the building, but there was no indication he pointed the gun at anyone and he left without further incident.
Boeing called the incident “unacceptable” and said the contract security guard involved would not return to work for the company.
“We respect our employees’ right to peacefully picket and believe everyone should be safe. We are cooperating with the King County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation,” the plane maker said in a statement.
The International Union of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Local 751) and Allied Universal, which employed the guards, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Tensions are rising between Boeing and striking assembly workers. The plane maker said on Monday Hiring freeze The company said the strike, which began three days ago, had put its operations “at risk.”
Workers overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that would have given them a 25 percent pay increase over four years, but the agreement fell short of the union’s original demand for a 40 percent raise over three years. The union also sought to reinstate traditional pension plans that were eliminated a decade ago, but was settled on increasing Boeing’s contributions to employees’ 401(k) retirement plans.
The striking workers work at factories in Renton and Everett, Washington, where Boeing makes its best-selling 737 Max jetliner, as well as the 777 commercial jet and 767 freighter. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is built by non-union workers in South Carolina.
Boeing has long faced financial difficulties and a damaged reputation. strikeThe company has lost more than $25 billion since the beginning of 2019 due to various manufacturing issues. Under investigation by federal regulators this year.
IAM District 751 said in a statement that its negotiating committee will enter mediation with Boeing on Tuesday. The union noted that mediators do not have the power to force either side to agree to specific terms, but rather are acting as neutral parties to help both sides find a middle ground.