Boeing Workers Vote to End Strike

CAPE CANAVERAL - Delta rocket machinists ratified a revised Boeing Co. contract offer Wednesday, ending a three-month strike that delayed launches at Cape Canaveral and in California.

"It's over," said Johnny Walker, business representative with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in Cape Canaveral.

Delta workers at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and California's Vandenberg Air Force Base walked out Nov. 2 after rejecting a three-year contract offer. Wages, health insurance and retirement benefits were at issue.

The revised offer included lower medical insurance premiums and deductibles.

Walker said the vote locally was "about 50-50." The 280 Cape workers have been without company paychecks and medical coverage since Nov. 30. Many have been living on savings and working part-time jobs to survive.

"I'm tired of roofing houses," said Evan Peck, 47, a married father of two from Mims. "I've just been hoping I wouldn't get injured and that nothing would happen to my children."

Merritt Island resident Jerry Robinson, 42, was with son Christian, 4, at the vote.

"This has been rough. We've all got families and mortgages," he said. "We all want to go back to work, and (Christian) wonders when his Daddy is going back to the rocket ranch."

The workers can return Monday but have until Feb. 14 to report back.

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