Oregon Public Broadcasting

Boeing machinists will vote Saturday on a contract that could end their two-month strike. Reporter Liz Jones of KUOW has this preview.

Members of the machinists union are reading the fine print of Boeing’s latest contract offer.

Workers have expressed mixed opinions about the tentative deal.  But union leaders unanimously support the agreement. They say it offers more job protection and preserves current medical benefits.

Richard Aboulafia is an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group. He views the contract as win for both sides. 

Richard Aboulafia: “The union got more than it would’ve gotten 53 days before the agreement. But on the other hand Boeing definitely avoided some of the more militant union demands regarding outsourcing and job security.”

But Aboulafia believes the machinists opted for short-term gains over long-term losses.

The four-year contract covers some 27,000 machinists in Washington, Oregon and Kansas.

If approved, workers would return to work, starting Sunday night.