LEARN HOW BOEING IS ATTACKING THEIR FIREFIGHTERS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
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IAFF Local I-66 represents the 125 firefighters and emergency medical service workers at Boeing facilities across the United States. For nearly three months, the union has engaged Boeing in good faith to reach a new contract for the membership. Despite federal mediation, and extensive and ongoing negotiations, Boeing has locked out IAFF Local I-66 members on May 4. The lock-out is designed to pressure and coerce the members of Local I-66 into accepting the proposed terms of the previously rejected offer. Learn more about how this dispute is impacting the first line safety workers of the Boeing company and how you can join us to fight back.
While both are forms of job actions used during labor disputes, they are initiated by different parties and serve different purposes:
- Strike: A strike is a work stoppage initiated by EMPLOYEES, typically organized by their labor union, to protest working conditions, wages, benefits, or other issues. Employees collectively stop working as a form of protest and may participate in picketing outside their place of employment. Workers use strikes to pressure the employer to negotiate and reach an agreement on disputed issues.
- Lock-out: A lock-out is a work stoppage initiated by the EMPLOYER during a labor dispute. The employer prevents employees from working, usually by enforcing their terms during contract negotiations or responding to a strike threat. The employer may use a lockout as a proactive measure to gain leverage in negotiations or to enforce certain conditions on the employees.
MYTH
Boeing firefighters are on strike.
FACT
False. Boeing firefighters were locked out of Boeing Company facilities on May 4, 2024. While a strike is initiated by employees, a lockout is a work stoppage initiated by an employer during a labor dispute. Lockouts are often used as a bargaining strategy to compel the union to accept the employer’s terms. IAFF Local I-66 attempted to bargain a fair contract with Boeing in good faith. Despite numerous meetings, including some with a federal mediator, these attempts failed and resulted in Boeing locking firefighters out of their jobs.
Did IAFF Local I-66 attempt to bargain a fair contract?
- Yes. The negotiating team from IAFF Local I-66 attempted to bargain a fair contract with the Boeing Company to no avail. IAFF Local I-66 met with the Boeing Company numerous times, including several sessions with a federal mediator, until the Boeing Company locked them out of their jobs.
MYTH
Boeing claims firefighters were paid $91,000 on average last year.
FACT
Only 28% of Boeing firefighters are at top scale, earning $41.11 an hour ($85,508.80 annually). It takes Local I-66 members 14 years to reach top pay; Boeing has proposed pushing that to 19 years. More than 50% of Boeing firefighters have worked for the company for less than five years. In fact, 47 firefighters were hired in the last year at $25 an hour. According to MIT, an adult with no children would need to earn $30.08 an hour to make a living wage in King County, Washington. A single adult who has one child would need to earn $52.10. It’s worth noting that Boeing firefighters make up to 30% less than their peers at neighboring departments. Most Boeing firefighters are not afforded a living wage under Boeing’s current contract or its various proposals.
MYTH
Boeing’s contract proposal would result in a $21,216 raise for firefighters.
FACT
False. Boeing’s overtime proposal applies only to hours worked, not total benefit hours. Boeing’s latest proposal called for working 24 hours at straight pay, then 16 hours at straight pay, with the remaining 8 hours paid at overtime. That means a firefighter taking any leave time during the week would not reach the overtime pay threshold. Boeing’s proposed “increase…of $21,216” is a mirage. It’s fuzzy math, and the numbers don’t add up.
MYTH
The work of Boeing’s Local I-66 firefighters is “completely different” than the work of municipal fire departments.
FACT
False. Fire is fire, regardless of whether municipal or industrial firefighters respond to the incident. In fact, the dangers of a manufacturing facility require a robust response from Local I-66 members.
A few points:
• Two I-66 firefighters watch Boeing airfields at all times, providing emergency support during all aircraft refueling, take-offs, and landings.
• I-66 firefighters respond to any fire that starts at the facility quickly to prevent the spread of flame and toxic emissions from a combination of the materials used to build aircrafts.
• Boeing firefighters are trained in confined space rescue and as Hazardous Materials and Emergency Medical Technicians. Some Boeing firefighters even trained with NASA in order to safely respond to incidents involving Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
• I-66 firefighters also handle medical emergencies at Boeing facilities and are responsible for fire prevention and training. Boeing has said its firefighters “focus on fire prevention at our sites.” This is true. I-66 members are responsible for guarding the fire safety of Boeing’s multi-million-dollar aircrafts and mitigating dangers that could result in a loss of life and property – or, in terms Boeing would understand, profits.
MYTH
Safety will be uninterrupted by Boeing’s lockout.
FACT
False. Boeing’s Everett facility is home to the 777 and 787 aircrafts. It encompasses 98 acres and has 30,000 employees in three different shifts working around the clock. I-66 firefighters are the first line of defense protecting the people and manufacturing processes of this small city.
The absence of an adequately staffed, properly trained team of firefighters familiar with both the facility and best practices for attacking manufacturing fires jeopardizes Boeing’s aircrafts and puts its workers at risk. The Band-Aid approach of bringing in firefighters unfamiliar with the realities of Boeing operations is another example of the company gambling with safety.
How does the lock-out impact Boeing employee safety?
- The lockout will impact Boeing employees and facilities’ emergency response and firefighting services. Without the IAFF Local I-66 firefighters, there will be reduced readiness to respond to fires or other emergencies. Boeing has a responsibility to maintain safety for its employees and assets. This situation may result in longer response times for emergencies, longer wait times for mitigation of hazardous conditions, and overall greater loss potential for the individual employees and the infrastructure of the Boeing Company.
What are the reasons behind the lock-out?
- The lock-out typically arises from disagreements between Boeing and IAFF Local I-66 over contract terms, such as wages, benefits, working conditions, and other labor issues. Boeing may initiate a lock-out to pressure the union to agree to their proposed terms.
How long will the lock-out last?
- The duration of the lock-out is uncertain and depends on how negotiations progress between Boeing and IAFF Local I-66. It could end once an agreement is reached, or one side changes its approach. The Boeing Firefighters have continued to state that we are willing to negotiate, but we are not willing to compromise safety, response, and personal financial well-being to achieve the company’s goals.
What impact does the lock-out have on negotiations?
- A lock-out can create a sense of urgency in negotiations, disrupting normal operations and affecting both parties. It may expedite reaching an agreement but can strain relationships and create tension.
What are the union's concerns during this lock-out?
- The union's concerns typically center around fair wages, benefits, job security, safety standards, and working conditions. The union seeks a contract that reflects the needs and interests of its members.
What can employees do during the lock-out?
- Employees can and are encouraged to engage in picketing or other lawful union activities to support their negotiating team during a lockout. They should stay informed about negotiations and follow any instructions or guidance from their union representatives.
Are members of IAFF Local I-66 eligible for unemployment?
- Yes, the members of IAFF Local I-66 are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Because the employer locked out the members, they are eligible for up to $1,100 per week before taxes are taken out. This amount is well below the normal wages they earn to support their families.
How can the public support the IAFF Local I-66 Firefighters?
- The public can support the firefighters by contacting their elected federal, state, and local officials, showing solidarity through social media posts/shares, attending rallies, walking the picket line and reaching out to Boeing to express support for fair treatment of the firefighters. Monetary donations supporting the IAFF Local I-66 members and their families may be made to the I-66 Firefighters Lock-Out Fund at:
Venmo @BoeingIAFFI66
PayPal @BoeingFFlocalI66
By Check - C/O I-66 Lock-Out Fund, PO Box 1768, Renton, WA 98057
Where can I find more information about the lock-out?
- For more information, you can check official communications from IAFF Local I-66 at www.iaff-i66.org and news outlets covering the story. The union will also provide updates on its social media channels:
- Boeing Firefighters Facebook
- Boeing Firefighters Instagram
- Boeing Firefighters Twitter
Where can I walk the picket lines with IAFF Local I-66 Firefighters?
You can join us on ANY of the picket lines we have been forced to set up outside of the Washington State Boeing property locations. 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Auburn - 700 15th St SW, Auburn
Everett - Kasch Park Rd & Airport Rd, Everett
Frederickson - 18001 Canyon Rd E, Puyallup
Renton - Logan Av E & N 8th St, Renton
Moses Lake - 8998 Tyndall Road NE, Moses Lake
Seattle - E Marginal Way S & 14th Av S, Seattle
Please continue to check the union's website or social media channels for more information and updates.
- WSCFF is operating in a support role, working with our state and local elected officials in concert with IAFF 7th District Vice President Ricky Walsh and the IAFF to ensure a victory for our members. Our collective goal is to have a consistent message, organize and strategically deploy resources, manage our membership, unite with others in labor, create alliances with our elected representatives, and find a path that has an outcome that is positively aligned with our membership.
What does it mean when someone says, “The IAFF has your back?”
- We are all the IAFF and collectively, when we join together and focus on the goal of improving working people’s lives, we will bring all our resources to the fight. The IAFF is not just elected leaders, it’s the individual members participating and engaging so that we can be effective. Job safety protections, wage security, political advocacy, strategic planning, communications, and alliances with other trade Unions make our 3,500 affiliate locals within the IAFF more powerful. The union is not one person, the union is us.
- The IAM cannot directly participate in the Boeing lockout because of contractual provisions in the IAM 751 bargaining agreement. However, IAM members can show solidarity with the locked-out firefighters by joining picket lines or supporting the union's cause in other ways. Such participation would be an individual or collective decision made by IAM members to support the firefighters. It is important to note that IAM members must adhere to their union contracts and any legal restrictions regarding secondary picketing or solidarity actions.
Can Teamsters participate in the lock-out?
- Direct participation: The lockout involves IAFF Local I-66-represented employees and their dispute with Boeing. Therefore, Teamsters cannot directly participate in the lockout as a labor action.
- Solidarity actions: Teamsters can show solidarity with the locked-out firefighters by joining picket lines or rallies. These actions must adhere to legal guidelines and Teamsters members' contractual obligations with their employers.
- SPEEA cannot directly participate in the Boeing lockout because of contractual provisions in the SPEEA bargaining agreement. However, SPEEA members can show solidarity with the locked-out firefighters by joining picket lines or supporting the union's cause in other ways. Such participation would be an individual or collective decision made by SPEEA members to support the firefighters. It is important to note that SPEEA members must adhere to their union contracts and any legal restrictions regarding secondary picketing or solidarity actions.
