More than 3,200 members of IAM District 837 remain on strike at Boeing Defense in the St. Louis region after negotiations for a new contract stalled. The strike began on August 4 when the union and Boeing failed to reach an agreement over what the union calls a fair contract.
The IAM union has submitted a four-year contract proposal ratified by its membership, placing responsibility on Boeing to respond and end the ongoing work stoppage.
A rally was held in support of the striking workers, drawing union members and labor leaders from across Missouri and beyond. “I’m here to tell Boeing: you are not just fighting 3,200 workers. You are fighting 600,000 IAM Union members across North America,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “You are fighting millions more across the labor movement. And you are fighting a community that will never be broken!”
IAM District 837 members play a key role in building and maintaining F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets as well as advanced missile systems, which labor leaders say are critical to U.S. national security. They argue that Boeing’s stance not only affects workers’ livelihoods but also impacts military readiness.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler criticized executive compensation at Boeing during her remarks at the rally: “We’re seeing this everywhere, and it’s called corporate greed. These are attacks on our dignity,” she said. “If Boeing can afford to give $100 million in golden parachutes to failed CEOs, then they can afford to pay your workers a fair share of the wealth we create.”
IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli addressed those gathered: “Every picket line, picket sign, and every hour we hold this line is a message to everyone in this country that – we will not be silenced, we will not be divided, and we will not back down! The Midwest Territory is with you. The IAM International is with you. And the entire labor movement is with you!”
Jody Bennett, Resident General Vice President of IAM, praised the technical skill of District 837 members: “You build the F-15. You build the F/A-18. You’re going to build the F-47. You build the systems that defend this nation,” Bennett said. “That is world-class work. And world-class work deserves world-class respect!”
The event was hosted by Tom Boelling, Directing Business Representative for District 837, and included messages of solidarity from Jon Holden (President of IAM District 751), Jake Hummel (President of Missouri AFL-CIO), Patrick Kellett (President of St. Louis Labor Council), and John Dimas (President of SPEEA).
Support continues from local unions, elected officials, and community organizations as workers press for better pay and retirement benefits comparable to those received by other Boeing employees nationwide.
