26 July 2022
Boeing faces possible labour strike at three US defence plants
by Marc Selinger
Boeing workers who produce the T-7A Red Hawk trainer could soon go on strike. (Boeing)
Unionised workers at three Boeing military aircraft factories in and near St Louis, Missouri, could soon walk off their jobs over a retirement benefits dispute.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 announced on 24 July that nearly 2,500 of its members have voted to go on a strike on 1 August. The labour action would involve plants in St Louis, St Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois, that produce the F-15 and F/A-18 fighters, the T-7A Red Hawk trainers, and the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tankers.
IAM District 837 said it rejected Boeing's current contract offer because the company “previously took away a pension from our members” and is now “unwilling to adequately compensate our members' 401(k) plan”.
In a statement, Boeing expressed disappointment that the union rejected the company's “strong, highly competitive offer”. Boeing said it is “activating our contingency plan to support continuity of operations in the event of a strike”.
News of the potential strike came less than three months after Boeing's Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business reported a USD929 million loss from operations in the first quarter of 2022 fuelled by USD1.3 billion in earnings charges on four military aviation development programmes, including the T-7A and MQ-25. BDS had “a messy quarter”, Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun told analysts on 27 April.
Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the
Client Login
Interested in subscribing, see What we do
Share
Unionised workers at three Boeing military aircraft factories in and near St Louis, Missouri, could ...
Associated services
Details