By a 1% margin
Machinists accept Boeing’s 777X contract offer
Communist Jim Moeller chimes in
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Awesome!
Sorry to hear it. In time, this state would be better off without the yearly extortion.
Now let’s get the same tax breaks for small businesses. http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/facts/snapshot-small-businesses-washington
Washington would not have to ‘bribe’ Boeing to keep manufacturing in the state, if they’d join other enlightened states by passing a “right to work” law. The taxpayer financed “breaks” provided by the state is an indirect subsidy to the union-forced higher than market wage rates. This causes other businesses in the state to pay more in taxes which reduced their ability to grow and increase employment.
In reading the article in today’s Wall Street Journal, it appears that the contract offer was accepted by a bare (51%) majority of “line” workers — over the objections of the union bosses. A key factor is that workers will now have a 401(k) type retirement account rather than a continuation of the fixed retirement benefit that has been used up to now. (Those in the old plan are “grandfathered” and will not lose any benefits they’ve already earned — but the old plan will no longer take new employees. Employees also get a $15,000 signing bonus plus 4% + COLA in wage increases over the next 8 years.
All in all, it’s a pretty decent deal for employees who already benefit from jobs that pay above-market wages due to the union influence.
Of course, the unions dislike Right to Work laws, as they let workers have the freedom to consider the benefits of union membership and join or not join based on their individual assessment of the value of the membership. Of course, such a close evaluation of the union, requires that the union make the effort to actually benefit the membership rather than just feather the next of the union officials. (Yes, I’ve been forced to be a member of a union in the past.)
If unions are “so good” for supporting employees, then they should have no trouble getting near total commitment from potential union members. If the unions do not provide such benefits, then they do not deserve to be able to force non-members to be unwilling participants. IF unions were “honest”, then they would welcome right to work laws, rather than fight them tooth and nail.