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Boeing faces potential strike as Seattle workers vote

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2024

Boeing faces potential strike as Seattle workers vote

Boeing workers who overwhelmingly voted to authorize a potential strike in July will vote again on Thursday on whether to follow through.

Boeing faces a potentially crippling strike in the Seattle region, depending on how 33,000 workers vote Thursday on a new contract that has angered many employees despite solid wage gains.

Led by new CEO Kelly Ortberg, the embattled aviation giant had hoped a 25 percent wage hike over four years and a commitment to invest in the Puget Sound region would avert a strike at a time when Boeing remains financially weak after myriad crises.

But while the preliminary contract won an endorsement from leaders of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751, the response from much of the rank-and-file has been harsh.

Broadcast reports in the Seattle region have featured footage of line workers who hold daily rallies on the factory floor and call the wage hikes inadequate in light of inflation.

A Sunday posting on the IAM’s Facebook page announcing the deal was removed after drawing hundreds of comments, with many condemning the deal or calling for a strike.

A strike would shutter Boeing production assembly plants for the 737 MAX and 777, further delaying the company’s turnaround efforts.

Among the major points of contention, the wage hike falls short of the 40 percent IAM had sought, and the new deal fails to reinstate pensions.

IAM President Jon Holden told members what happens next is up to union members.

“We have achieved everything we could in bargaining, short of a strike,” Holden said in a message to workers.

“We recommended acceptance because we can’t guarantee we can achieve more in a strike,” Holden said. “But that is your decision to make and is a decision that we will protect and support, no matter what.”

Stephanie Pope, president of Boeing’s commercial plane division, said the contract delivers the largest-ever wage hike despite the company’s $60 billion in debt. The pledge to the Puget Sound region is an “unprecedented commitment” to the area.

In a statement Wednesday evening Ortberg warned against a strike, saying it would “put our shared recovery in jeopardy, further eroding trust with our customers and hurting our ability to determine our future together.”

The new contract is a “hard sell,” said aviation website Leeham News. “The deal makes progress in the areas IAM members identified as priorities, but falls short of the union’s stated goals in most of them.”

Leeham predicted the contract would fail to win a majority vote, but said it was unclear whether critics of the deal would win a two-thirds majority on a second question of whether to strike.

If the contract fails to win a majority but a strike vote also falls short, the contract offer is accepted by default, according to IAM rules.

In an interview with the Seattle Times published Monday, Holden said, “Right now, I think it will be voted down, and our members will vote to strike.”

Advantage: labor?

Boeing has been under renewed scrutiny since a January incident in which a fuselage panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX plane mid-flight, necessitating an emergency landing.

That revived questions about safety and quality control after the company had seemingly made progress following deadly MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The aerospace giant in March announced a management shakeup that included the exit of Dave Calhoun as CEO. It has also slowed production on the MAX as it beefs up quality control.

Ortberg, who took the helm on August 8, has pledged a “reset” on labor relations as part of a turnaround.

The IAM talks come on the heels of a more assertive labor movement as embodied by strikes at Detroit’s “Big Three” and John Deere, and a near-strike at UPS that was resolved with a last-minute deal with the Teamsters.

“The power balance has shifted in favor of workers,” said Cornell University labor relations expert Harry Katz, who noted that Boeing’s position has been weakened by “turmoil and management problems.”

Andrew Hedden, associate director of the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington, said strikes have become common at Boeing since 1970s.

Hedden said the company’s pledge for new investment, while encouraging, did not completely settle concerns about Boeing’s long-term footprint in Seattle because the contract is only four years long.

“There’s still work to do for the union and for the people in Washington state to make sure the company holds to that,” Hedden said.

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Walker’s big night an encouraging sign for Seattle Seahawks

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Walker’s big night an encouraging sign for Seattle Seahawks

It got somewhat lost amid all the late-game drama, but Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III just had one of the best games of his four-year career.

The anatomy of a comeback: How Seahawks stunned the Rams

Highlighted by a pair of explosive plays, Walker totaled 164 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in Seattle’s wild 38-37 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. It was the second-most scrimmage yards of Walker’s career, just shy of his 167 scrimmage yards against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7 of his 2022 rookie campaign.

Walker rushed for 100 yards on 11 carries against the Rams’ stout defense, including a 55-yard TD run early in the third quarter where he burst through a crease and hit a top speed of 21.07 mph while racing downfield, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He also added three catches for 64 yards, including a 46-yard gain on a throwback screen pass that set up a first-quarter TD.

KENNETH WALKER III 55-YARD TD RUN 🚨
LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4ezXS8hbok
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

In doing so, Walker became the first NFL running back since five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry in 2020 to have both a 45-plus-yard run and a 45-plus-yard catch in the same game, according to NFL Media senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.

Walker’s two big plays against the Rams were also among the six longest plays of his career. He had five gains of 40-plus yards over his first two NFL seasons, but none over the past two seasons until Thursday night.

During Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Friday, Mike Salk praised both Walker and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

“Best and hardest I’ve seen him run in forever,” Salk said. “Most decisive, most he’s hit holes hard, picked up extra yards. Credit to Kubiak for getting him the ball in space and allowing him to really do the things that he does well.”

Kenneth Walker III all the way down inside the 10!
LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/YjVCQMxByg
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

Led by Walker’s performance, the Seahawks finished with 171 rushing yards and a season-high 6.8 yards per carry on Thursday night. Even more encouraging was that it came against a strong Rams run defense, which entered the game ranked eighth in the NFL at just 3.9 yards allowed per carry.

The Seahawks have struggled for much of the season to get their run game untracked – including this past Sunday, when they mustered just 50 rushing yards and 2.3 yards per carry in a low-scoring Week 15 win over Indianapolis Colts.

But prior to that, Seattle had made some strides on the ground, averaging 140.2 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry from Weeks 10-14.

Walker’s showing on Thursday night was another positive step.

“He was a major factor,” Salk said. “Ran for 100 yards in the game. They ran for over 170 as a team, which kind of gets lost in a lot of the other storylines of the game. A huge credit to Ken Walker. … That’s the best I’ve seen him play in forever.”

Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation at this link or in the video player at the top of this story. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Where Seattle Seahawks’ No. 1 seed odds stand after epic win
• Seattle Seahawks Injury Updates: Status of trio of DBs
• Seahawks’ Derick Hall suspended 1 game for stepping on player
• Brock Huard: The reason Darnold was able to lead Seahawks over Rams
• Macdonald explains Seattle Seahawks’ game-winning 2-point decision

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Seattle Kraken beat San Jose Sharks 4-2 to snap 4-game skid

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Seattle Kraken beat San Jose Sharks 4-2 to snap 4-game skid

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Lindgren had the tiebreaking goal early in the third period for his first score with the Seattle Kraken, and they went on to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

Seattle Kraken 4, San Jose Sharks 2: Box score

Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist, and Eeli Tolvanen and Ryker Evans also scored for the Kraken, who won for just the second time in 12 games (2-9-1). Joey Daccord finished with 34 saves.

Adam Gaudette and Colin Graf scored for the Sharks, and Yaroslav Askarov had 28 saves.

Graf gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead 36 seconds into the third period with some help from the Kraken.

Seattle’s Adam Dunn lofted a clearing attempt from behind the net that Igor Chernyshov intercepted in the left circle and sent a pass in front to Graf. Graf tried to lift it over Daccord down on the ice, but the puck deflected off the left post and in front as the goalie, on his back, tried to pull it in. However, Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson skated into the goalie and knocked the puck in.

Evans tied it again at 1:55 with a long shot from the left point through traffic.

Lindgren put the Kraken ahead 3-2 at 4:27, beating Askarov from the left point for the defenseman’s first goal in 33 games since signing with with Seattle in the offseason. Stephenson had an assist on the play to extend his point streak to eight games.

Stephenson then scored with 1:24 remaining to push Seattle’s lead to two goals and extend his goal-scoring streak to four games.

Tolvanen gave the Kraken a 1-0 lead at 6:52 of the second period, picking up a loose puck, skating into the right circle and firing a shot past Askarov.

Gaudette tied it with a power-play goal with 8:38 left in the middle period. Celebrini fired a shot at the net from the left point that deflected off teammate Igor Chernyshov in front of Daccord and off Gaudette down onto the ice for an easy backhand poke from the right doorstep.

Celebrini extended his point streak to five games on the play with eight assists and 11 points in the stretch.

Up next

Seattle Kraken: At Anaheim on Monday night.

San Jose Sharks: At Vegas on Tuesday night.

Seattle Kraken trade away their big offseason acquisition

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Three West Seattle schools’ teams advance in FIRST Lego League competition

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Three West Seattle schools’ teams advance in FIRST Lego League competition

(Photos courtesy Brenda Hatley)

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Dozens of youth robotics teams from elementary and middle schools across the district gathered on December 6 at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School for this year’s FIRST Lego League qualifier. By the end of the day, three teams from West Seattle – Madison Middle School, Lafayette Elementary School, and Alki Elementary School – emerged triumphant, with their sights set on the next round of the tournament.

Of the schools who competed that day, nine were from West Seattle, including Genesee Hill Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Gatewood Elementary, Arbor Heights Elementary, West Seattle Elementary, and the aforementioned teams that are moving up to the next round.

A local parent tipped us about the students’ achievement, so we set out to get details. We spoke with Brenda Hatley, a coach for Madison Middle School, the only West Seattle middle-school team to advance to the next round, and she says the turnout at the qualifiers was impressive. Hatley first became a coach for her son’s 4th-grade team and was one of the founding parents for Lafayette Elementary’s Lego Robotics team.

She says the program, which pairs engineering with LEGO, coding, and real-world projects, is a fantastic program for students who are less interested in athletics but still want to capture the excitement of a pep rally.

“It’s not a sports team, but they’re still getting so hyped up. The kids were cheering for each other, and the pressure was there; coaching through that was an incredible experience,” Hatley said.

Madison’s team, the Madbots, will play their next match on December 26th, at a to-be-determined location. The teams that do well this month will move on to the city-wide competition in Downtown Seattle, before moving to the regionals at Washington State University, and beyond to the international finals. Regardless of how they perform, Hatley says she and the other parents are planning to travel with their team to the city-wide and regional competitions.

“I’m really proud of the team,” Hatley said. “Last year, the fifth graders didn’t move on, and we had lower expectations; we just went in to learn more and get better. This year, we get to move on and see what the next level looks like.”

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