Boeing Defense will expand its effort to replace striking workers at three St. Louis area plants, according to a memo by a top executive of the fighter aircraft and missile manufacturer. About 3,200 members of the International Assn. of Machinist and Aerospace Workers have been on strike since August 4, and have formally rejected two contract offers by Boeing.
The two sides are now engaged in mediation.
Boeing’s initial four-year offer included a 20% wage increase, a $5,000 ratification bonus, more vacation time and sick leave, and “a path to higher wages.” The second offer covered five years, with a 24% raise and $4,000 signing bonuses.
The IAM – the same union that conducted a nearly two-month strike against Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 2024 – presented its own five-year contract proposal in late September, which included increased 401k contributions, raises to bring union members’ compensation in line with other Boeing employees, and a ratification bonus.
That proposal was rejected by Boeing. On September 30, the company announced: “The union continues to set false expectations with its members. We’ve made it clear we’re ready and willing to discuss proposals within the parameters of our market-leading offer that union leadership has twice endorsed, not modifications to their self-drafted proposal. We'll stay focused on executing our contingency plan, hiring permanent replacements and supporting our customers.”
The three plants in St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo., and Mascoutah, Ill., assemble fighter aircraft, including the F-15 and F/A-18, and other missile and defense systems.
In the widely reported, internal company memo, Boeing Defense vice president Dan Gillian acknowledged that the now two-month-old strike might continue for months longer. As such, Boeing is "immediately expanding the jobs we're recruiting for, and stepping up our recruitment efforts to increase hiring activities through the end of the year, including more job fairs and advertising."
Operations at the plants have continued with production, flight testing, and other activities handled by non-union employees, but on September 4 Boeing made it known it will train and hire replacement workers.
Boeing has not announced how many replacement workers have been recruited. According to the Gillian memo, the first of new hires began their training for munitions production and assembly mechanics on October 3.
The company has not confirmed the plan to expand replacement hiring, and IAM union officials minimized the significance.
