Boeing Jet Builders Strike, Halting Production
Boeing workers strike over rejected contract, demand fairness.
Over 3,200 Boeing workers at facilities in St. Louis, St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois, launched a strike at midnight Central Daylight Time on Monday, August 4, after rejecting a modified four-year labor agreement, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 announced. The walkout, the first in nearly three decades for the union’s local chapter, marks a significant escalation in tensions with the aerospace giant.
The strike follows the union’s rejection of Boeing’s latest contract offer, which promised a 40% average wage increase and addressed concerns over alternative work schedules. A previous proposal, offering a 20% wage hike, was also turned down last week despite being endorsed by union leaders as a “landmark agreement” with improved medical, pension, and overtime benefits. “IAM District 837 members build the aircraft and defense systems that keep our country safe,” said Sam Cicinelli, Midwest territory general vice president, in a statement. “They deserve a contract that keeps their families secure and recognizes their unmatched expertise.” The union emphasized its stance on X, declaring, “Enough is enough.”
Boeing, which employs over 16,000 in the region, expressed disappointment. “We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40% average wage growth,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and senior St. Louis site executive. The company has activated a contingency plan to maintain operations with non-striking workers, though the strike could disrupt production of critical defense projects, including F-15, F-18, T-7A, and MQ-25 aircraft, as well as the $20 billion F-47 fighter jet contract.
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The strike comes amid Boeing’s ongoing struggles, including a tarnished safety record following the 2018 and 2019 Boeing 737 Max crashes, which killed 346 people, and a June 2025 Dreamliner crash operated by Air India, claiming at least 260 lives. Despite recent financial improvements—reporting a $611 million loss in Q2 2025 compared to $1.44 billion the previous year—the labor dispute threatens to further strain the company’s operations.
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