Boeing union leaders negotiated a new contract. 96% of their members voted against it.

Photo above - "Airport 2024". Boeing engine catches fire in midflight. This is either the world's most robust jet engine, if it can fly like this, or a maintenance problem by the airline, right?

Imagine getting repudiated by 96%. That’s the percentage of Boeing’s Washington IAM (International Order of Machinists) who voted against the contract deal their union leaders agreed to. Evidently this contract negotiation was 2024’s greatest waste of time. Plus, proof that IAM union leaders are morons who are clueless about their rank and file. (see link below)

What’s so bad about the new (but rejected) contract? It only provided 8% annual wage increases. The union members are demanding 10%. “Because of inflation”. You cannot make this stuff up.

As I write this, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is preparing to announce inflation is licked, and he’s going to stop sticking it to people trying to get mortgages and buy homes. The current mortgage rates are in the 6-7% range. Maybe THAT’s what Boeing’s machinists are cheesed about?

In any case, the Fed will certainly announce a rate cut this week. The stock indexes are either jubilant or morose, depending whether the latest rate prediction is a 50-basis point cut (1/2 of one percent), or something less. So far this month we had the worst week of the year for stocks, followed by the best week. Yes, a difference of ¼ of 1 percent is all it takes to make the difference between heaven and hell, if you work in a 57th floor office suite on wall street. There must be some huge arbitrage at work here, no? These are the guys managing our 401Ks, boys and girls.

Well, if Boeing's machinists don’t believe the Fed, and the Fed is just tinkering with interest rates because it’s almost election day, and inflation ISN'T licked (check house prices, car prices, rent, electric rates, water bills) where does that leave us?

I’m pretty sure the machinists are going to get their extra 2% a year, because the strike is costing Boeing $1 billion a week. (not a misprint). And I'm pretty sure the extra 2% won't make a damn bit of difference in Seattle, a city which has some of the highest home inflation in the nation. And I’m pretty sure the current government inflation numbers and fed policies are BS.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Boeing strike 2024: IAM union members begin strike | CNN Business

Full disclosure – this writer bought shares of Boeing (ticker symbol BA) for her 401K in March 2024 at $180 a share. It’s trading at $156 now, the 52-week low.

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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

Small point of order.. I was unaware that Boeing made their own engines. The only ones I have flown with use either Rolls Royce or GE engines...(Something I take an interest in)😷

swirlie · 31-35, F

This is either the world's most robust jet engine, if it can fly like this, or a maintenance problem by the airline, right?

The engine itself in your photo has nothing to do with Boeing or the aircraft type that it is fitted to. If you have an issue with that engine that is burning, which by the way is still running normally, then you must point your finger at Pratt & Whitney, General Electric or Rolls Royce for answers. Those are the 3 engine manufacturers who potentially supply all engines to Boeing.

As stated, the engine in your photo that appears to be burning is actually running normally. How do I know that? Because only the outer shell known as the cowling is missing, but as you can see in the photo, the engine inlet with all it's fan blades is still turning rather briskly and is therefore producing power.

Further back into the photo where the flames can be seen, is an interior view of the engine's combustion chamber which is where the air from those fan blades is compressed, fuel is injected and then combustion occurs which then gives the engine it's jet propulsion qualities which then exit the tailpipe.

The flame you see in the photo is always there, day or night, rain or shine. The only thing is, you as a passenger can never see it because the combustion chamber is always closed and unavailable for public scrutiny. With the cowling missing from the engine however, the naked truth of what goes on inside a jet engine is now revealed to the traveling public.

To use this photo as a propaganda tool to further your cause is an abject misuse of mechanical data, not to mention the fact that anything to do with that engine has absolutely nothing to do with your Union contract issues.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@swirlie thank you, mr jet engine expert. any thoughts on the actual subject of the post?

swirlie · 31-35, F

@SusanInFlorida
Make that Ms jet engine expert to you, Susan.

Any thought on the actual subject of the post? Yes of course! I already told you my thoughts but you missed that part. What I said about the actual subject of your post was...

To use this photo as a propaganda tool to further your cause is an abject misuse of mechanical data, not to mention the fact that anything to do with that engine has absolutely nothing to do with your Union contract issues.

swirlie · 31-35, F

What does an engine fire have to do with contract negotiations? And yes, I read your entire post.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@swirlie boeing maintenance/crashes are the reason sales are stalled and the stock is at a 52 week low. i'm surprised i have to explain this to anyone.

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