The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board against The Boeing Company. The union alleges that Boeing has refused to bargain in good faith with more than 3,200 IAM District 837 members who have been on strike since August 4 at Boeing facilities in the St. Louis area.
According to the IAM Union, since mid-September, Boeing has rejected several union proposals without offering counter proposals that address member concerns. The union states this is a violation of Boeing’s legal obligation to negotiate under the National Labor Relations Act. The IAM notes that its members passed a pre-ratified offer on September 19 intended to end the strike and return workers to their jobs.
Boeing has reportedly told the union that “there is no more coming” and that “no matter how long the strike lasts, the economics won’t change.” The union claims these statements show a refusal to bargain in good faith. The ongoing strike is also said to be delaying important aircraft deliveries to the U.S. Air Force, while Boeing attempts to hire replacement workers who, according to the union, lack the necessary qualifications for producing advanced military jets and weapons systems.
The dispute follows Boeing’s recent acquisition of the F-47 contract, a significant U.S. defense program attributed by the union to the expertise of its members. The IAM argues that despite receiving taxpayer-funded contracts, Boeing is not willing to invest a small portion of those resources into its workforce. The union estimates that while an F-15 fighter jet costs about $100 million, the cost of their pre-ratified offer would be approximately $50 million over four years, which they describe as a modest investment that could resolve the strike and resume production schedules.
“These men and women have decades of skill, experience, and dedication,” said IAM Union Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Boeing’s CEO is paid tens of millions of dollars, while the workers who build our military jets are being told to settle for less than they deserve. That’s unacceptable — and people on both sides of the aisle in Congress are taking notice. Lawmakers from both parties have called on Boeing to negotiate in good faith, because this strike and the company’s refusal to bargain are hurting our national defense.”
“IAM Union members put forward a fair, responsible proposal that would have ended this strike,” said IAM Union Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “Boeing’s refusal to even respond with an improved offer is an insult to every worker who builds this nation’s defense aircraft — and to the taxpayers footing the bill for the company’s delays. And let’s be clear: it’s our IAM Union members, not corporate executives or union officials, who will ultimately decide their future. That’s what democracy in our union looks like.”
“This strike is about respect and fairness,” said IAM District 837 Directing Business Representative Tom Boelling. “Our members are standing up for their families, their future, and for fair treatment at the bargaining table. Boeing’s delays are hurting its own production, putting critical defense contracts at risk, and showing that you can’t replace skilled union labor with untrained temps. The company needs to come back to the table now.”
The IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across North America in industries including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and others in the United States and Canada.
