Key Points
- Boeing’s unionized workers in St. Louis are going on strike Monday. They rejected the company’s latest contract offer, calling it insufficient.
- The workers build fighter jets and the Navy’s MQ-25 refueling drone.
- This was the second contract offer that the union has voted down.
- The strike will impact key military aircraft production for Boeing.
Union workers who build Boeing’s fighter jets in St. Louis have rejected the company’s latest contract offer and will go on strike at midnight on Monday. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union announced the decision Sunday after members voted down the proposal.
Tom Boelling, a union representative, said the workers deserve a contract that recognizes their skill and dedication, especially given their critical role in national defense.
Last week, Boeing presented a revised offer to the union. It included some small pay increases for senior members. The company agreed to maintain the current overtime rules, which it had previously attempted to modify. However, the union still found the offer insufficient. This was the second time workers had rejected a contract from the company. Boeing has not yet commented on the strike.
The St. Louis facility is a key part of Boeing’s defense operations. The striking workers are responsible for assembling several important military aircraft, including fighter jets and the MQ-25, a new aerial refueling drone for the U.S. Navy.
The company is also expanding its manufacturing in the area to build the new F-47 fighter jet for the U.S. Air Force after winning the contract earlier this year. The strike will halt production on these critical defense programs.
