Boeing is a company in need of cultural change. Labor relations, which have been strained for decades at the company, is an area that new CEO Kelly Ortberg cited shortly after his hiring as a target for restoring trust. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened and Boeing’s actions so far during the strike aren’t creating trust with the union. Today it looks like the same-old-Boeing and a long strike.
A Missed Opportunity
Kelly Ortberg was likely taken by surprise after the union and company reached a tentative agreement, but the rank and file voted it down with a 96% vote. That vote indicated that both the company and union leadership mis-read the mood of the union members. Boeing could legitimately state that the union leadership didn’t follow-through in convincing its members to accept the tentative contract. Clearly, the rank and file disagreed with union leadership on the adequacy of the deal.
