Boeing union says approves contract, ending over 7-week strike

Striking workers at Boeing approved the company's latest contract proposal Monday, ending a more than seven-week stoppage that underscored discontent within the workforce of the beleaguered aviation giant.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751, which had rejected two prior offers, ratified the latest bid by 59 per cent, the union said.

The move will send some 33,000 Seattle-area workers back on the job and restore operations at two major assembly plants.

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The contract includes a 38 per cent wage hike, a $12,000 signing bonus and provisions to lift employer contributions to a 401K retirement plan and contain health care costs.

However, the contract did not restore Boeing's former pension plan that had been sought by older workers.

Jon Holden, head of the Seattle union, described the contract as a win for workers who were determined to make up for more than a decade of stagnant wages from prior negotiations that had enraged many rank-and-file workers.

• Boeing, striking union to return to negotiations on Monday