The union confirmed that striking employees have seven days to return to work. It starts on Wednesday, November 6 and ends on Tuesday, November 12.

Boeing’s long-haul recovery

While welcoming the deal, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said warned that the rebuilding of Boeing’s reputation and profitability had only just begun.

“Even though the last few months have been difficult for all of us, we are all part of the same team. We will only move forward by listening and working together. There is much work to be done to return to the excellence that made Boeing an iconic company,” Ortberg said.

The end of the strike is good news for Boeing’s airline customers, but returning to regular delivery flows will take time. The planemaker had previously warned that it could take weeks for factories and supply chains to regain momentum after the extended shutdown.

Earlier on Monday, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary described Boeing’s delivery delays as “a pain in the butt.”

From Washington DC to Washington State

In recent weeks, senior Labor Department officials have attempted to break the impasse between Boeing and the IAM. In response to Monday’s developments, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su called the deal “historic.”

“This agreement proves once again that collective bargaining works. With this new agreement ratified, Boeing and its machinists can now move forward to build and strengthen their partnership, which will be critical to Boeing’s success,” Su said.

IAM members at Boeing shut down tools at midnight on September 13, sparking the first major labor dispute between the parties since 2008. On that occasion, drawn-out negotiations culminated in a 57-day shutdown, drawing a parallel with the 2024 strike.

The IAM represents approximately 33,000 workers in the Pacific Northwest. Washington state is an important production hub for Boeing with its best-selling 737 Max and 777 models manufactured in the region.

The strike cost Boeing about $1 billion a month, according to S&P Global estimates. As part of an effort to shore up its finances, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg recently told the staff that the company will lay off 10% of its workforce. The first deliveries of the flagship 777X commercial airliner will also be pushed back to 2026.