Boeing has successfully restarted the production of its 737 MAX aircraft after a seven-week strike led by machinists, which significantly impacted the company’s operations and financial performance.
Resuming Operations at Key Facilities
Following the end of the strike, Boeing has resumed production at its Renton, Washington facility, where the 737 MAX is assembled. The company plans to extend this to its Everett plant, which handles the production of the 767 and 777 aircraft series. To meet its production targets, Boeing is in the process of retraining and certifying the workforce, which was idled during the strike. The goal is to ramp up production to 38 aircraft per month by the end of the year, a target that was set before the work stoppage.
Impact of the Strike and Labor Negotiations
The strike, which began on September 13, 2024, was led by over 32,000 machinists represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW). It disrupted production at Boeing’s key factories in Washington state, which had a significant impact on the company’s revenues and its ability to meet aircraft delivery schedules. After intense negotiations, union members ratified a new labor contract on November 5, 2024, allowing workers to return to the production lines by November 12, 2024. This agreement has been crucial in stabilizing Boeing’s operations as it looks to fulfill its large backlog of orders for the 737 MAX.
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