By michael vivar
Boeing has been one of the most venerable and trusted brands in aircraft manufacturing since 1916. It was common for air travelers to say, “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going.”
The past five years have seen Boeing mired in crises which have caused it to struggle both reputationally and financially.
Tragedies on Boeing aircrafts include two 737 Max crashes that resulted in a total of 346 fatalities along with a door plug blowing off mid-air on another plane.
The company’s fortunes have taken yet another downturn. Boeing’s machinists went on strike Friday after acrimonious negotiations between labor and management fell apart.
Airlines and independent travel industry experts report that air travel will not be affected in the long term as an adequate number of planes in current fleets are well-maintained.
It should also be noted that Boeing’s even larger competitor, Airbus, is continuing to manufacture aircraft and sell them to airlines.
Negotiations will continue to be difficult. Workers are demanding a 40% staggered wage increase. This may seem egregious, but they haven’t seen a tangible pay rise since 2014.
A factor also exacerbating tensions is a revelation that Boeing CEO, David Calhoun, received a 45% increased compensation package from $22.6 million to $32.8 million in 2023.
It’s always advisable to plan well in advance when arranging air travel for cost-effectiveness. It’s also now advisable to keep abreast of ongoing Boeing strike negotiations.
"What one state could not get alone, what one miner against a powerful corporation could not achieve, can be achieved by the union." Mary Harris "Mother" Jones