IAM At St. Louis Assembly Plant Voted “Overwhelmingly” Against Proposal

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAM, voted overwhelmingly to reject Boeing’s contract offer on July 27 and the company is now preparing for a strike to begin imminently.

Boeing sent its proposal to the union’s 3,200 members who assemble fighter jets at the defense company’s three plants in St. Louis, Missouri. The offer included a 20% general wage hike over four years, a $5,000 ratification bonus, and more vacation time and sick leave.

The IAM said in a statement on Sunday, "IAM Union members delivered a clear message: the proposal from Boeing Defense fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce. Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future."

Dan Gillian, Vice President of Air Dominance and the general manager and senior St. Louis Site executive for Boeing said in an email statement that the company is disappointed Boeing employees voted down "the richest contract offer we've ever presented to IAM 837 which addressed all their stated priorities."

"We've activated our contingency plan and are focused on preparing for a strike. No talks are scheduled with the union," he added.

The current contract expired on Sunday and the union said there will be a one-week “cooling off” period that would delay any strike until August 4.

Boeing has been expanding the operations of its defense division in the St. Louis area to accommodate the coming production of the U.S Air Force’s new F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter that will replace the F-22 Raptor.

FMI:  www.boeing.com/