More than 3,200 unionised workers who assemble Boeing’s fighter jets in the St Louis area have gone on strike after rejecting the company’s latest contract offer. The walkout, which began on Monday, marks the first strike at Boeing’s St Louis defence hub since 1996.
The workers, represented by IAM District 837, voted to reject an offer that Boeing said would have raised average annual wages from $75,000 to $102,600 – a 40% increase. The union’s business representative, Tom Boelling, said the workers deserve a contract that reflects their skill and dedication to national defence.
Boeing Defence said it was prepared for the stoppage and has implemented a contingency plan using non-union labour to continue supporting customers. Dan Gillian, a senior Boeing executive in St Louis, expressed disappointment that the offer was rejected, noting it resolved the primary issue on alternative work schedules.
The workers assemble Boeing’s fighter jets and the MQ-25 aerial refuelling drone for the US Navy. Boeing’s defence division is expanding facilities in the area for the new F-47 fighter, after winning the contract earlier this year.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg downplayed the strike’s impact, saying it would be much smaller than last year’s 30,000-worker strike. Boeing holds contracts for several major defence programmes, including the F-47, F-15EX, T-7 trainer and Air Force One.
