Tentative Labor Pacts Emerge At GE Aerospace, Univ. Minnesota Amid Boeing Strike Rejections

Labor tensions continue across major U.S. aerospace and service sectors with mixed developments. United Auto Workers members at GE Aerospace facilities in Ohio and Kentucky reached a tentative agreement following a strike over wages and job protections, with a ratification vote scheduled. Conversely, Boeing defense workers, represented by the International Association of Machinists, rejected a third contract proposal in their six-week strike, citing insufficient signing bonuses and 401(k) benefits despite Boeing's offer including a 45% wage increase over five years; Boeing plans to continue contingency measures including hiring replacement workers. The Boeing strike reflects a broader wave of labor unrest driven by demands for better pay and conditions, and the situation has escalated tensions between workers and corporate management amid concerns about long-term impacts on the aerospace industry. Meanwhile, about 1,400 service employees at the University of Minnesota ended a five-day strike after reaching a tentative agreement, allowing preparations for upcoming events like the Farm Aid concert to proceed. These disputes underscore ongoing struggles in the labor market as workers leverage shortages and rising inflation to push for improved contracts amid a challenging economic climate.