Five members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have called on Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg to negotiate in good faith with more than 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837, who have been on strike in the St. Louis area for three months. The letter, led by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), urges Boeing to reach a fair agreement.
In their message to Ortberg, the senators stated: “bring this strike to an end with an expedited resolution of the negotiation and the successful ratification of a proposal that pays IAM Union District 837 members what they are worth while ensuring that Boeing is able to fulfill its mission and ensure that the men and women of our military have what they need.”
The senators also criticized Boeing’s recent move to replace striking workers with permanent replacements, expressing concern about potential impacts on product quality, safety, and national security. They wrote: “If you choose to proceed with replacement workers to complete these projects, you will be sacrificing the needs of the U.S. military in order to benefit the corporation’s bottom line. Rather than proceeding down this dangerous path, we urge you to rededicate yourself to meeting the needs of your current workers, who are a fount of experience, knowledge and professionalism. Now is the time to make a deal. Our military’s effectiveness and our country’s national security depends on it.”
This Senate action follows a similar letter from 17 bipartisan members of the House Armed Services Committee urging Boeing to return to negotiations.
According to IAM Union estimates, there is an $8 million difference over four years between their latest proposal and Boeing’s most recent five-year offer. The union points out that while their request represents a small increase in costs, Boeing has provided $100 million in executive severance packages (“golden parachutes”), reported $23 billion in third-quarter revenue, and holds a $76 billion defense backlog.
IAM District 837 members are responsible for building key military aircraft including the F-15EX, F/A-18, T-7A, MQ-25, and future F-47 fighter jets.
IAM International President Brian Bryant responded: “We are deeply grateful to the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee for standing up for our members in St. Louis and demanding accountability from Boeing. The Senators recognize that our members’ skill, dedication, and experience are vital to our national security. Their call for Boeing to negotiate in good faith sends a powerful message that protecting America’s military readiness begins with respecting the people who build it.”
Additional support has come from Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), as well as Representatives Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), and members of the Congressional Labor Caucus.
For over 13 weeks, IAM Union members have maintained picket lines while continuing to present contract offers aimed at ending the strike and supporting Boeing’s ability to meet its defense commitments.
The IAM Union represents approximately 600,000 active and retired workers across various industries in North America.
