Boeing waited to learn Thursday whether 33,000 aircraft assembly workers, the majority of whom are based in the Seattle region, would go on strike and halt production of the company’s best-selling jets.

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers were voting on whether to accept a contract offer that included a 25% salary increase over four years. If the manufacturing workers reject the contract and two-thirds vote to strike, the work stoppage will begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. PDT.

Boeing Factory Workers Are Voting Whether To Strike And Shut Down Aircraft Production

A walkout would not result in flight cancellations or have a direct impact on airline passengers, but it would be another blow to Boeing’s reputation and finances in a year marked by issues in its aircraft, defense, and space divisions.

New CEO Kelly Ortberg made a last-ditch effort to avoid a strike Wednesday, assuring machinists that “no one wins” in a walkout.

“For Boeing, it is no secret that our business is in a difficult period, in part due to our own mistakes in the past,” Mr. Musk said. “Working together, I know that we can get back on track, but a strike would put our shared recovery in jeopardy, further eroding trust with our customers and hurting our ability to determine our future together.”

According to Boeing, the machinists earn an average of $75,608 per year, not including overtime, and this figure will climb to $106,350 at the end of the four-year deal.

Although the contract’s negotiating committee recommended ratification, IAM District 751 President Jon Holden predicted earlier this week that workers would vote to strike. Many of them have made complaints about the agreement on social media.

Voting began at 5 a.m. local time at union halls in Washington state, Portland, Oregon, and a few other sites, with results anticipated late Thursday.

A strike would halt production of the company’s best-selling airliner, the 737 Max, as well as the 777 or “triple-seven” jet and the 767 cargo plane, at plants in Everett and Renton, Washington, near Seattle. It is unlikely to affect Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are produced in South Carolina by nonunion workers.

Based on Boeing’s strike history, TD Cowen aerospace analyst Cai von Rumohr believes a walkout might stretch until mid-November, when workers’ $150 weekly payments from the union’s strike fund may appear low heading into the holidays.

According to von Rumohr, a strike that lasts that long may lose Boeing up to $3.5 billion in cash flow because the corporation receives roughly 60% of the sale price when it delivers a plane to the buyer.

Union negotiators unanimously urged workers to endorse the provisional deal signed over the weekend.

Boeing has vowed to manufacture its next new airliner in the Puget Sound area. That airliner, which isn’t due until the 2030s, would replace the 737 Max. That was a significant victory for union leaders, who want to avoid a repeat of Boeing shifting Dreamliner production from Everett to South Carolina.

However, the agreement fell short of the union’s initial demand for 40% wage increases over three years. The union also wanted to reinstate traditional pensions, which were eliminated a decade ago but settled for an increase in Boeing contributions to employees’ 401(k) retirement plans.

Boeing Factory Workers Are Voting Whether To Strike And Shut Down Aircraft Production

Holden told members on Monday that the union had achieved everything it could in negotiations and suggested that the contract be approved “because we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to achieve more through a strike.”

Many union members, however, are still resentful of earlier concessions on pensions, health care, and compensation.

“They’re upset. They desire so much stuff. “I believe Boeing understands this and wishes to satisfy a significant number of them,” said aerospace analyst von Rumohr. “The question is, are they going to do enough?”

Boeing’s reputation suffered when two 737 Max airliners crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 passengers. The safety of its goods was called into question again after a panel on a Max blew out during a trip in January.

SOURCE | AP

EV Battery maker Northvolt has announced there would be a revised timeline for plant in Canada but did not provide further details. Potential revisions to these projects would be confirmed in the fall.

Northvolt will cut a large number of jobs and sell or seek partners for its energy storage and materials businesses as Europe’s leading battery hope aims to survive by refocusing on its struggling first giga-factory in northern Sweden.

The Swedish manufacturer, which has raised the most capital at US$15 billion of any other unlisted European start-up, has been significantly delayed by issues at its facility located just below the Arctic Circle. Additionally, European carmakers have slowed their plans to transition to electric vehicles.

Northvolt announced on Monday that it would cease production of cathode active materials, sell one site, and instead source materials from Chinese or Korean companies. Additionally, the company will pursue a buyer or partner for its energy storage business, which is located in Gdańsk, Poland.

The group, which is supported by Volkswagen AG, Goldman Sachs, BMW, Siemens, and BlackRock, has been experiencing a cash flow deficit. It has announced that its cost-cutting strategy will “regrettably” involve “some difficult decisions on the size of our workforce,” which is currently at 7,000 employees.

Northvolt EV Battery facility in Vasteras, Sweden – Reuters Image

In addition, executives have stated that the construction of three additional gigafactories, which are to be constructed in Sweden, Germany, and Canada in a joint venture with Volvo Cars, will be postponed. However, they have also stated that they will provide additional information regarding the number of employment cuts at a later date.

In late 2021, Northvolt was the first European company to produce a EV battery cell for EVs from a domestic giga-factory. However, the company has encountered difficulty in increasing production rates since then. Its giga-factory in Skellefteå has an annual capacity of 16 gigawatt hours; however, it is currently producing less than 1GWh.

BMW recently terminated a US$2 billion contract with Northvolt and instead awarded it to Samsung SDI of Korea, citing supply constraints. The slow adoption of electric vehicles has resulted in the postponement of the construction of battery facilities in Europe by Korean and Chinese organisations.

Northvolt has also encountered financial difficulties vital for the expansion of production so consequently, the company has been compelled to reduce investments and expenditures.

Northvolt, which initiated its strategic review in July, intends to concentrate on cell manufacturing in Skellefteå, which has prompted concerns regarding the future of its recycling and materials operations.

It is also deliberating on how to proceed with the significant advancement in EV battery technology for energy storage that it announced with sodium-ion batteries. These batteries do not require lithium, cobalt, or nickel, which are materials that companies have been eager to acquire.

Executives stated that Northvolt could continue to advance the sodium-ion technology in collaboration with other manufacturers, despite its pursuit of purchasers or partners for its energy storage business.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bragged the project will help build the economy – CBC Image

Northvolt declared this year that it would establish an electric vehicle battery plant in the Quebec province of Canada for C$7 billion, or $5.17 billion. The EV Battery Manufacturer stated that the federal and provincial governments of Canada would each provide $1 billion towards the first phase of construction.

Northvolt has received investments of approximately US $1.1 billion from Canadian pension funds, including Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), BlackRock, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and CDPQ.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada has established EV manufacturing as a cornerstone of his industrial policy, providing production credits and other forms of assistance to 13 battery businesses and automakers valued at C$56 billion ($41.34 billion).

Nevertheless, a slowdown in the demand for electric vehicles has forced a number of industry players to postpone or cancel investments reaching C$46 billion ($33.96 billion).
billion).

Nevertheless, the development of EV demand has slowed, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of investments totalling C$46 billion ($33.96 billion) by numerous industry companies.

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A boycott against Dunkin Donuts has begun to spread online after one influencer accused the national coffee giant of refusing to engage with him because of his right-wing ties.

The boycott began after Dunkin Donuts CEO of Rumble Chris Pavlovski tweeted that the firm intended to split ways with Steven Crowder, a conservative talk show presenter, and move away from ‘right wing culture’. Rumble is a video-sharing platform with a more conservative demographic.

The claimed emails received by Pavolvski in his tweet include messages from Dunkin Donuts , Inspire Brands, and Diageo North America expressing their opposition to appearing on the site because it is “too polarising from a brand sustainability standpoint.”

In the same tweet, Pavolvski said, “No, we do not discriminate. “All cultures are welcome on Rumble.”

Dunkin Donuts has not responded on any of its social media channels.

Many Rumble supporters stated that they are prepared to boycott the coffee chain due to their apparent refusal to appear on the platform.

Last Wednesday, a Twitter user with over two million followers shared a graphic showing #boycottDunkin trending at number two on X, formerly Twitter. The post received 11,000 retweets and 41,000 likes.

Many of the answers to Pavlovski’s initial post endorsed the concept of a boycott of Dunkin Donuts .

At least on social media, the boycott is no longer a top trend. As of Monday afternoon, #boycottDunkin is no longer trending on X, and it is not one of the Top 100 trends on TikTok.

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