Boeing military aircraft and weapons workers strike

Several thousand Boeing workers across three Midwest manufacturing plants walked off the job, adding new pressure to the aerospace giant as it works to stabilize its finances.

Boeing strike

Roughly 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 launched the strike at facilities in St. Louis, St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois, after rejecting a modified four-year labor agreement. “IAM District 837 members build the aircraft and defense systems that keep our country safe,” said Sam Cicinelli, general vice president of the union’s Midwest division. “They deserve nothing less than a contract that keeps their families secure and recognizes their unmatched expertise.”

Boeing wages

The vote followed a weeklong cooling-off period after members previously turned down an earlier proposal. That contract included a 20% wage increase over four years and $5,000 ratification bonuses. Boeing’s revised offer maintained the same wage hike but removed a scheduling provision that would have limited workers’ ability to earn overtime pay. Union members again rejected the deal. Boeing said it had prepared for the outcome. “We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40% average wage growth and resolved their primary issue on alternative work schedules,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and general manager, and senior St. Louis site executive. “We are prepared for a strike and have fully implemented our contingency plan to ensure our non-striking workforce can continue supporting our customers.”

Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security unit

The walkout directly affects Boeing’s Defense, Space ans Security unit, which makes up more than one-third of the company’s revenue. Workers at the three plants assemble fighter jets, weapons systems and the U.S. Navy’s first carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts that the impact of the strike would be far smaller than the seven-week shutdown last year in Washington state, when 33,000 commercial jetliner workers walked out. “The order of magnitude of this is much, much less than what we saw last fall,” Ortberg said. “So we’ll manage through this. I wouldn’t worry too much about the implications of the strike.”

Federal investigation

That earlier strike came as Boeing faced multiple federal investigations after a door plug blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident renewed safety concerns around the 737 Max, which was already linked to two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The Federal Aviation Administration capped Boeing’s 737 Max production at 38 planes per month until it is satisfied with manufacturing safeguards. Ortberg said the company has reached that limit and plans to request approval to increase production later this year. Boeing reported narrower losses of $611 million in the second quarter, compared to $1.44 billion in the same period last year, alongside improved revenue.

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