Acting US labour secretary Julie Su intervenes in Boeing machinists strike
Top US labour official met with leaders of Boeing and striking union workers as month-long stoppage takes a toll on the planemaker
Julie Su, the United States’ acting labour secretary, flew to Seattle on Monday to try to ease a Boeing machinists strike, as thousands of employees face lay-offs and a major airline reacted with alarm to the plane maker’s deepening turmoil.
Su’s first in-person intervention, reported by Reuters and confirmed by the Labour Department, comes days after Boeing – dealing with a crippling strike now in its fifth week – unveiled plans to cut 17,000 jobs and take US$5 billion in charges, continuing a year of tumult for the company.
“Acting Secretary Su is meeting with both parties today to assess the situation and encourage both parties to move forward in the bargaining process,” a spokesperson said.
While Su has previously spoken to Boeing and the union but it is her first time in Seattle meeting both sides in person, the spokesperson said.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said its lead negotiator, Jon Holden, had updated Su on the current talks, “stressing the Union’s commitment to a negotiated contract that values our members’ skills and dedication”.
