In 2013, the Boeing Company approached the International Association of Machinists (IAM), District Lodge 751, the union representing 33,000 workers at the aircraft-maker in Washington state, with a request to bargain over new conditions. The corporation wanted to revise the existing contract to obtain major concessions related to pensions and health care. If the union refused, the company would not produce its next airplane in Washington. The local union leadership refused to open the contract that was in force, but the Machinist Union International president in Washington, DC, agreed to do it and scheduled a contract vote. Members were stunned and rightly felt betrayed. They were being forced to forfeit the pension system they had won and maintained through many grueling strikes. Also at stake, Boeing wanted to shift healthcare costs onto members and to slow the wage progression system so a worker would have to toil for 20 years to reach top grade, rather than 6 years. Simultaneously, Boeing succeeded in extorting money from the state of Washington itself. The manufacturer threatened to move airplane production from Washington if it didn’t immediately cancel future taxes of 8.7 billion dollars. In a single week, the Washington legislature, with just three members opposing, gave the company what it demanded; that constitutes the largest-ever corporate tax subsidy in U.S. history. Critics pointed to a revolving door between the state’s government and Boeing.

The revolt was sparked by a veteran Machinist who was angered by a letter signed by the Boeing CEO that urged members to give up their pensions. He sent it to each member and printed it in full page ads in local newspapers. Veteran woman machinist Shannon Ryker wrote a reply to the company that captured the sentiments of many co-workers when it was printed in the Everett Herald newspaper. Many co-workers commended her stance and stepped forward, including future leaders of the group Cris Dofredo and Teresa Dofredo, who held the first meeting at their house in Sammamish, that included IAM retiree and labor veteran Henry Noble. Soon after, Ryker issued a call and formed Rosie’s Machinists 751 as an unofficial caucus in the union. The name hearkens back to Rosie the Riveter who built World War II airplanes. The group’s primary goal was to organize members in the plants to vote down the company’s proposal. They worked with and supported the brave members of the union business staff who held workplace meetings to provide information and build resistance. Rosie’s brought people together online to help workers find their voices in the plants, in the union halls, and in the community. The result of this organizing is that members bravely and overwhelmingly rejected the extortion contract by a 2-1 margin.

The union International, however, refused to accept the members’ decision and colluded with Boeing to force a second vote. The company tweaked their proposal and called it a new offer. Local leadership refused to countenance it and would not set the date for a vote. Boeing encouraged a group of members to demand a vote. This “let us vote” contingent was small but vocal and featured in the press. The International scheduled a second vote and scheduled it during the Christmas holidays when thousands of the more senior workers were out of town and unable to come to the union halls. Boeing and the International launched a fury of ads and editorials and press releases from elected officials -- a full court press by media and governments – that accused the members of being selfish and jeopardizing the future livelihoods of their neighbors and children if they once again refused the despised contract. Not one political or community leader supported the union members. In the end, by a margin of just 300 votes the 33,000 members lost their pensions and were burdened with major healthcare costs. The contract would be in force, with a no-strike provision, until 2024.

(Adapted from a note submitted to the Labor Archives of Washington by Teresa Dofredo, Shannon Ryker, and Henry Noble in March 2022.)

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.