North American aerospace factory workers are pushing back against mandatory overtime and striving for four-day work weeks. However, planemakers are resisting these demands as they aim to increase jet production to meet rising demand.
Amid a tight labor market, exacerbated by a wave of COVID-19 retirements, manufacturers have made some concessions. Yet, major planemakers remain opposed to significant changes. Improved work-life balance, alongside higher pay, has become a crucial demand from pilots to aircraft mechanics, inspired by the rise of hybrid work weeks during the pandemic. Still, significant scheduling changes could impede manufacturers’ ability to ramp up commercial jet production.
At Boeing, ongoing negotiations center on ending mandatory weekend overtime. This issue has become a major sticking point for nearly 33,000 unionized factory workers, who recently voted for a strike mandate. Boeing’s largest union has indicated that members are prepared to vote on a strike on September 12 if necessary. Such a disruption could thwart Boeing’s plans to increase the production of its popular 737 MAX jet to about 38 per month by the end of the year.
“We’ve made some good improvements in limiting the amount of designated overtime, but it’s not good enough,” said Jon Holden, president of the Seattle-area local union representing workers on the 737 MAX and other jets.
Boeing countered by stating that fewer than 1% of its employees work mandatory weekend overtime on average. “We know our employees value their time outside of work,” a Boeing spokesperson added.
This year, Boeing’s jet production has slowed due to increased scrutiny from regulators, airlines, and lawmakers following an incident in January when a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines jetliner mid-air.
Family Time
Aerospace scheduling is complex because the sector needs experienced mechanics on all shifts to expand production, yet older employees often have the seniority to avoid working non-standard hours.
In Europe, Airbus refused to agree to four-day weeks for A220 evening-shift workers in a recent contract, citing the need to support the jet’s production ramp-up. The A220, which seats about 110 to 130 people, is already heavily impacted by production delays. Airbus recently revised its industrial and financial targets downward.
While Airbus initially sought to impose overtime in June, it has since made these hours voluntary, according to Christian Bertrand, president of the local union for Montreal-area A220 workers.
Andy Voelker, a talent specialist at McKinsey & Company, noted that younger workers entering the aerospace industry have higher expectations for workplace flexibility. He added that about a third of the U.S. aerospace and defense manufacturing and engineering workforce is aged 55 and above.
Some mechanics are seeing progress. For instance, Boeing is acquiring Spirit AeroSystems, which agreed in 2023 to make Sunday overtime voluntary. Additionally, Montreal-area evening-shift workers at Bombardier have negotiated a four-day week.
A recent McKinsey analysis indicated that industry demand for talent surpasses the available supply, potentially costing a median-sized aerospace company $300 million to $330 million annually in lost productivity.
The IAM, representing Boeing workers, is advocating for limits on mandatory overtime during weekdays as well. Seattle union official Holden emphasized the need for more time off, especially since mechanics, unlike office workers, couldn’t work from home during the pandemic.
“We’re never going to be able to work from home, but we do need more time off to be able to spend with our families,” he said.
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