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 Boeing. The union alleges that Boeing has refused to negotiate in good faith with over 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 union, since mid-September, Boeing has rejected several union proposals without making any counter offers that address member concerns. The union claims this is a violation of Boeing’s legal duty to negotiate under the National Labor Relations Act. IAM representatives say that despite union members passing a pre-ratified offer on September 19 intended to end the strike, Boeing declined to respond with any changes.
Boeing reportedly told union negotiators that “there is no more coming” and that “no matter how long the strike lasts, the economics won’t change.” The union argues these statements demonstrate a refusal to bargain. The ongoing strike is delaying deliveries of aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, and Boeing is attempting to hire replacement workers who the union says do not have the necessary qualifications for building advanced military jets and weapons systems.
The dispute follows Boeing’s recent securing of the F-47 contract, a major U.S. defense program that relies on IAM members’ work. The union points out that while a single F-15 fighter jet costs about $100 million, their proposal would cost Boeing $50 million over four years. IAM officials describe this as a modest sum that could resolve the strike and keep defense programs on schedule.
“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 in various industries across North America, including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and others in both the United States and Canada.
