Five members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have called on Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg to engage in good faith negotiations 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 Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), urges Boeing to reach an agreement that recognizes the value of IAM Union District 837 members while enabling the company to meet its commitments to the U.S. military.
In their message to Ortberg, 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 criticized Boeing’s recent decision to hire permanent replacements for striking workers, expressing concern about potential risks for 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 Senate letter follows a similar appeal from 17 bipartisan members of the House Armed Services Committee who also urged Boeing management back into negotiations.
According to IAM Union estimates, there is about an $8 million difference over four years between their latest proposal—which was rejected by Boeing without a counteroffer—and Boeing’s most recent five-year offer. During this period, Boeing has provided $100 million in severance packages for former CEOs, reported third-quarter revenues totaling $23 billion, and holds a defense backlog valued at $76 billion.
IAM District 837 workers contribute directly to producing key defense aircraft such as F-15EX, F/A-18, T-7A trainer jets, MQ-25 refueling drones, and development work on future fighter jets like F-47.
IAM International President Brian Bryant commented: “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,” adding: “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 U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who raised concerns during a Senate HELP Committee hearing where an IAM District 837 member described alleged bad-faith bargaining by Boeing. Reps. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), as well as members of Congressional Labor Caucus have also advocated for fair negotiations aimed at preserving skilled jobs in St. Louis.
For over 13 weeks since walking out on strike lines, IAM Union members have continued offering proposals intended both as fair solutions for labor concerns and measures allowing Boeing’s defense operations delivery targets.
