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 striking members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 in St. Louis. The workers have been on strike 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 with the union members. The senators wrote, “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 raised concerns about Boeing’s decision to use permanent replacement workers during the strike. They warned this could impact product quality, safety, and national security. “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,” stated the senators. “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 action follows a previous letter from 17 bipartisan House Armed Services Committee members urging Boeing to return to negotiations.
According to IAM Union estimates, their latest contract proposal would cost approximately $8 million more over four years compared with Boeing’s offer for that period. During this time, 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 employees work on key defense programs including production for F-15EX, F/A-18, T-7A, MQ-25 aircrafts as well as future fighter jets.
Brian Bryant, IAM International President said: “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.” He added: “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.”
Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have also expressed support for IAM Union members during recent Senate hearings where union representatives testified about alleged bad-faith bargaining by Boeing. Representatives Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), along with Congressional Labor Caucus members have similarly urged fair negotiations.
IAM Union leaders state their contract proposals aim at maintaining a skilled workforce necessary for fulfilling military contracts while ensuring job stability in St. Louis.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired workers across North America in sectors such as aerospace, defense manufacturing, transportation industries including airlines and railroads as well as healthcare among others.
