U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has urged Boeing to resume negotiations with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837, whose 3,200 members have been on strike in St. Louis for nine weeks.
In a letter dated October 1 to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Sanders stated that the union’s proposal, which was approved by 90% of its members, could end the ongoing strike immediately. “What the Machinists in St. Louis are proposing is not radical. It is less generous than the contract you ratified last year with 32,000 Machinists in Washington state,” Sanders wrote. “If Boeing can afford to spend $68 billion on stock buybacks and provide golden parachutes worth over $100 million to former executives, it can afford to provide decent retirement benefits and fair wages to its workers.”
Sanders criticized Boeing for cutting health insurance for striking employees and pointed out the gap between executive compensation and line worker pay, some of whom earn as little as $18 per hour.
The letter follows a virtual town hall held by Sanders with IAM District 837 members on September 30. During this event, participants discussed their demands for better pay, job respect, and long-term security for families in St. Louis.
Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security division reported second-quarter revenue of $6.6 billion for fiscal year 2025—a rise of 10% compared to the previous year—while IAM members have repeatedly rejected company offers they say do not meet basic standards of fairness.
During Scott Mayer’s confirmation hearing for the National Labor Relations Board, Sanders questioned Mayer—Boeing’s chief labor counsel—about what he described as failures by the company regarding labor relations.
IAM Union International President Brian Bryant commented on the broader significance of the dispute: “This strike is about more than wages,” Bryant said. “It’s about respect, fairness, and the future of good aerospace jobs, not only in St. Louis but across North America. Boeing must stop playing games with our members’ lives and present them with an offer that reflects their skillset, dedication, and sacrifices. Our members deserve respect and dignity for their contributions to building this company, as well as for their service in protecting our troops and nation.”
Negotiations between IAM District 837 and Boeing are ongoing with assistance from a federal mediator. The union says its members have been prepared to negotiate fairly since the start of the strike; it is now up to Boeing to make an acceptable offer.
The strike began August 4 and has attracted growing support from elected officials and community groups who recognize IAM District 837’s role in assembling military aircraft and defense systems.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired workers across North America in sectors including aerospace, defense manufacturing, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit systems, healthcare services, automotive industries among others.
