The Boeing blueprint for dealing with organized labor : Employer strategies in a changing slow-growth economy

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine changing employer strategies in dealing with organized labor through Boeing’s negotiations with its local Puget Sound, Washington-based District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and the district’s international parent. Design/methodology/approach – Considers factors including leveraging the slow growth of the US economy and the resulting job-security issues among US workers generally and Boeing workers in particular, along with the divided age composition of Boeing’s workforce to achieve market-share competitiveness with Boeing’s chief global rival, Europe-based Airbus Industries. Findings – Advises that there is no substitute for early strategic analysis of bargaining goals and strategies, particularly with respect to economic bargaining. Practical implications – Advances the view that a well-defined bargaining plan is the most likely key to success in any set of union collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Social implications – Considers the tensions that may exist between younger members of the workforce, whose priority is likely to be job security, and older members, who may be more concerned about their pensions. Originality/value – Presents the ongoing story of collective bargaining agreement negotiations at Boeing.