Union vs Management Perception
I saw this in Aviation Industry Friday 10/31:
The strike at Boeing is over, but now a cut in production is needed
After weeks of production lines lying idle due to strike action by Boeing machinists, at an estimated cost of between $4bn and $5bn in lost revenue alone, the lines are starting to move again. Now that the strike has been dealt with Boeing needs to look at cuts in production. With recession upon us there is an odds-on chance that orders will be deferred or even cancelled in the coming months. This should provide Boeing with the delivery schedule slack that it needs to get back on target. A short-term silver lining if you like.
So, the union leaders who held out for so very long managed to get what they wanted out of Boeing. Or have they? The Unions secured a 15 per cent pay increase but at what point did the union leaders realise that their 52-day strike actually represents 14.25 per cent of their annual pay in the first place! [the italics are mine]
- Philip Tozer-Pennington, Managing Director – Aviation Industry Press (philipt@aviation-industry.com)
Did the union leaders really get what they wanted? I’m sure the union leaders promoted to the rank and file that “we got what we wanted … we got a 15% pay increase! That’s what your union did … aren’t we great to get this for you? Aren’t you glad you belong to the union? The union is really working for you?” The union leaders are happy and the workers are happy.
Management probably is happy too because the strike may have helped Boeing with their production schedule … they didn’t have to pay unemployment or any benefits during this 52-day strike.
So who got the better deal? The 15% pay increase, or the 52-day strike?
It’s not what you said, it’s what they think they heard
Tags: Aviation Industry Press, Aviation Posts, Boeing, communications, interpretation