More than 3,200 Boeing employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 voted to ratify the company’s revised contract on Thursday, ending a 101-day strike at the manufacturer’s St. Louis-area fighter jet facilities.
In the latest version of the five-year contract, Boeing removed the stock options and retention bonus, increasing the ratification bonus to $6,000, up from $3,000 in the previous offer. The rest of the proposal remains unchanged.
“We’ve heard from many of you that you’re ready to vote on another contract offer, and that you’d like more cash up front rather than Boeing stock,” Steve Parker, president and CEO of the company’s defense, space and security segment, said in a message to employees earlier this week. “We’ve taken all of that to heart with a revised offer that incorporates your feedback while continuing to stay within the economic value of our prior offers.”
Parker noted in his message that the company has hired replacement workers as part of Boeing’s contingency plan, adding that some areas are fully staffed. Nevertheless, the defense CEO said Boeing will guarantee that all union-represented workers can return to work if the contract is ratified.
But he warned that if the Machinists voted to reject the proposal, the company could not guarantee the workers would not be displaced moving forward.
A small number of union-represented workers will return to work Nov. 16, beginning with the third shift, according to Boeing’s website. The company is “pleased with the results” and looks forward to bringing back the full team on Nov. 17 to support its customers, a Boeing spokesperson said in an email.
“IAM District 837 members stood strong and united for over three months,” the union said in a statement. “We thank our Bargaining Committee for their tireless efforts, and we appreciate the unwavering support of our members, their families, the St. Louis community, our labor allies, and elected officials throughout this fight. We’re proud of what our members have fought for together and are ready to get back to building the world’s most advanced military aircraft.”
The strike began Aug. 4 and over time, negotiations between the union and Boeing grew tense. In October, IAM modified and presented its proposal to the company, which included a “significant concession” on 401(k) benefits, but Boeing rejected the offer. The rejection prompted IAM to file its second unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against the aircraft manufacturer.
Lawmakers had continued to press the company to negotiate in good faith and reach a fair agreement. Most recently, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who represents Missouri, sent a letter to CEO Kelly Ortberg to “quickly reach an agreement that the IAM 837 machinists can afford to accept.”
Additionally, five Democratic senators of the Senate Armed Services Committee urged Ortberg to “bring this strike to an end with an expedited resolution of the negotiation,” noting that the St. Louis-area facilities are essential to produce the F-47 and the U.S. Air Force’s new fighter jet program.
The Machinists’ strike at Boeing’s St. Louis-area fighter jet and weapons facilities has not impacted the company’s defense, space and security segment revenue, increasing 25% year over year to $6.9 billion, according to the manufacturer’s third quarter earnings. However, the work stoppage has delayed deliveries of the F-15EX fighter jets to the Air Force.
The strike is the longest for IAM District 837. The last time IAM District 837 went on strike at the Missouri facilities was in 1996, lasting 99 days, when the site was operated under McDonnell Douglas, according to the union’s May 2010 press release. The following year, McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing.
Looking ahead, Boeing, along with fuselage supplier Spirit AeroSystems which the company is set to acquire, will have to return to the negotiation table in 2026.
The two companies have contracts expiring with the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, Local 2001 of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers union. The first contract is set to expire Jan. 31, 2026, at Spirit AeroSystems’ Wichita, Kansas, plants, according to SPEEA’s website. Boeing will have two contracts expiring Oct. 6, 2026, at its Puget Sound, Washington, location.
