Cantwell, Murray, Smith, Larsen Send Letter to Boeing, Unions

Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.-02), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in calling for Boeing and the machinists unions to reach a mutually beneficial resolution to the month long strike.

The full text of the letter to Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company; Jon Holden, IAM District 751 president; and Brandon Bryant, IAM District W24 president is HERE and below.

Dear Mr. Ortberg, Mr. Holden, and Mr. Bryant:

We are writing about the contract negotiations between the Boeing Company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Districts 751 and W24. With the machinist strike now lasting well over a month, and with no further talks currently scheduled, we urge you to redouble your efforts to reach a mutually beneficial resolution.

With over 42,000 single-aisle and wide body commercial aircraft projected to be manufactured over the next twenty years, valued at $8 trillion, now is the time to rebuild the historic partnership between management and workers in order to restore Boeing's reputation for engineering and manufacturing excellence. This will require investing in next generation manufacturing techniques, innovative new materials, and providing workers with wages and benefits that acknowledge the essential and irreplaceable work they perform for the Company.

IAM 751 and W24 represent a vital workforce in the Pacific Northwest and for nearly a century have made it possible for Boeing to produce aircraft that fly millions of passengers each day, connecting communities and economies around the world. With these contributions in mind, we hope you will expeditiously work out a fair and durable deal that recognizes the importance of the machinist workforce to Boeing's future, the aerospace economy of the Pacific Northwest, and the nation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, we look forward to your timely response.