Boeing Workers Reject Collective Bargaining

A group of 17,000 Boeing Co. workers targeted by union organizers voted overwhelmingly to reject a collective bargaining proposal, officials said.

Seattle-area Boeing workers in various technical and administrative jobs voted 13,142 to 2,329, or 85% to 15%, to remain independent, according to the local National Labor Relations Board office, which oversaw the balloting.

The International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751, which petitioned for the vote, said a “massive education and outreach program” had failed to sway workers unfamiliar with union issues.

Boeing, which assembles most of its commercial jets in the cities of Everett and Renton, just outside Seattle, hailed the news.

“We’re obviously pleased that the choice was against unionization,” said Boeing spokesman Ken Mercer. “This means we can continue to work directly with one another to make Boeing a better place to work.”