The Boeing Company’s defense sector union in the United States has announced a strike set to begin on the 4th, marking the first such event in 29 years. Last year, a large-scale strike in September disrupted commercial airplane production, and now the focus shifts to potential challenges in military aircraft production. According to local media outlets like CNBC, around 3,200 workers at Boeing’s defense sector plant near St. Louis, Missouri, plan to strike this month. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 837 released a statement on the 3rd, stating that the union members rejected Boeing’s proposed wage offer, and a formal strike will commence at midnight on the 4th.
Tom Boeling, representative of Local 837, emphasized the crucial role of the union’s members in U.S. national defense and the necessity of a contract that reflects their skill and dedication. The Local 837 union announced the strike after a rejection of a wage negotiation proposal, which included wage and retirement benefit increases during a member vote on July 27th. In response, Boeing proposed a new contract featuring improved compensation conditions and the maintenance of the existing overtime pay system, but the union deemed it insufficient, reportedly demanding a 20% wage increase.
The Boeing plant near St. Louis is a key defense manufacturing facility, producing aircraft such as the F-15, F/A-18, the next-generation MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueler for the U.S. Navy, and various missiles. Boeing recently secured a production contract for the new F-47 fighter jet for the U.S. Air Force and is investing to expand its production line. This is the first strike involving Boeing’s St. Louis area defense workers since about 6,000 workers participated in a strike in 1996. Previously, Boeing faced a management crisis following consecutive accidents involving the 737 Max, which led to a 7-week strike in September by the commercial aircraft sector union in the Seattle area, causing significant production and delivery issues. The local industry anticipates that the current strike could similarly delay military aircraft production, having a broader negative impact on the U.S. defense industry.