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Thousands of Boeing employees involved in assembling military fighter jets have voted to reject the company’s latest contract proposal, raising the prospect of a strike at two key production sites in the United States.
More than 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), based in Missouri and Illinois, turned down the deal on Sunday, arguing it failed to reflect their contributions and safeguard their future.
With the current contract set to expire at midnight on Sunday, workers from IAM branch 837 are poised to walk out unless a new agreement is reached with the aerospace giant within the next week.
The potential strike would deliver a significant blow to Boeing, especially after last year’s damaging seven-week stoppage by Seattle-based workers, which disrupted operations at two major assembly lines.
“The message is clear: Boeing Defense’s proposal did not meet the priorities or recognise the sacrifices of our skilled workforce,” the IAM said in a statement following the vote.
Boeing said it was disappointed by the outcome. “This was the richest contract offer we’ve ever made to IAM 837, addressing all their stated priorities,” said Dan Gillian, vice-president of Boeing Air Dominance and general manager of the St. Louis site. He confirmed that the company was now preparing for a possible strike, adding that no further talks had yet been scheduled.
The rejected deal included a 20 percent wage increase over four years, along with additional holiday entitlement. However, union members at the plants in St. Louis and Mascoutah, Illinois, said it fell short of delivering a “secure future”.
The timing of the unrest is particularly delicate for Boeing. In March, US President Donald Trump announced that Boeing had secured a major contract to build the US Air Force’s new F-47 fighter jet, intended to replace the long-serving F-22. The agreement offered a welcome boost for the manufacturer following a turbulent year marked by safety issues and labour disputes.
IAM is one of the largest unions in North America, representing workers across the aerospace, defence, and transport manufacturing sectors.
