The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against The Boeing Company. The union alleges that Boeing has refused to bargain in good faith with over 3,200 IAM District 837 members who have been on strike since August 4 at Boeing’s St. Louis area facilities.
According to the union, Boeing has rejected multiple proposals from the IAM since mid-September without making any counteroffers. The union says this violates the company’s legal obligation under the National Labor Relations Act to negotiate in good faith. The impasse continues despite IAM members approving a pre-ratified offer on September 19 aimed at ending the strike and returning workers to their jobs.
Instead of negotiating, Boeing reportedly stated that “there is no more coming” and “no matter how long the strike lasts, the economics won’t change.” The union argues these statements show Boeing’s refusal to engage in bargaining. As a result, key aircraft deliveries to the U.S. Air Force are being delayed while Boeing attempts to hire replacement workers who lack necessary qualifications for producing advanced military jets and weapons systems.
The ongoing labor dispute follows Boeing’s recent win of the F-47 contract, an important defense program dependent on work by IAM Union members. Despite receiving taxpayer-funded contracts, the union claims Boeing is not willing to invest in its workforce.
IAM provided an example comparing costs: an F-15 fighter jet costs around $100 million, while the union’s proposal would add about $50 million in labor costs over four years—an amount they describe as modest relative to overall program expenses.
“These men and women have decades of skill, experience, and dedication,” said IAM Union Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Boeing’s CEO is paid tens of millions of dollars, while the workers who build our military jets are being told to settle for less than they deserve. That’s unacceptable — and people on both sides of the aisle in Congress are taking notice. Lawmakers from both parties have called on Boeing to negotiate in good faith, because this strike and the company’s refusal to bargain are hurting our national defense.”
“IAM Union members put forward a fair, responsible proposal that would have ended this strike,” said IAM Union Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “Boeing’s refusal to even respond with an improved offer is an insult to every worker who builds this nation’s defense aircraft — and to the taxpayers footing the bill for the company’s delays. And let’s be clear: it’s our IAM Union members, not corporate executives or union officials, who will ultimately decide their future. That’s what democracy in our union looks like.”
“This strike is about respect and fairness,” said IAM District 837 Directing Business Representative Tom Boelling. “Our members are standing up for their families, their future, and for fair treatment at the bargaining table. Boeing’s delays are hurting its own production, putting critical defense contracts at risk, and showing that you can’t replace skilled union labor with untrained temps. The company needs to come back to the table now.”
IAM represents around 600,000 active and retired members across various industries in North America.
