Approximately 1,350 workers went on strike on April 4 at chemical manufacturer Olin’s ammunitions plant in Independence, Missouri, after they rejected the company’s proposed contract, according to an International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers press release.
Workers at the Lake City Army ammunition plant are represented by IAM Local 778. The Machinists union said in a press release Thursday that the local’s negotiating committee met with company representatives earlier in the week and raised concerns from the union-represented employees, including work-life balance, pay that’s in line with inflation, high turnover and “excessive mandatory overtime.”
Details of Olin’s offer were not disclosed, but IAM said that Olin “failed to produce an offer” that its members “deemed fair on key issues.”
“The bargaining committee did not recommend a yes-vote on the company’s offer and the membership showed the same sentiment,” IAM Local 778 Directing Business Representative Scott Brown said in a statement. “The company’s offer to these workers is just not good enough. We are not asking for anything unreasonable, as these workers have not seen wage increases reflective of the economy and have endured countless hours of overtime.”
Olin and Winchester did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.
The Independence facility is operated by Olin’s subsidiary, Winchester, producing small arms cartridges including the 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 Caliber for the U.S. military, according to the company’s website.
Specifically, it supplies the majority of rounds for the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, according to the union’s fact sheet. In February 2025, the Army broke ground on an upcoming 6.8mm ammunition production facility at the Lake City Army site, which the service branch said will “play a vital role in advancing” its modernization priorities.
Additionally, the Lake City Army site supplies ammunition to U.S. allies to enhance their defense capabilities as they rely on U.S. exports for stability, according to IAM’s fact sheet. The facility also supplies ammunition to federal, state and local law enforcement.
The Machinists union added that “very little production” is taking place at the Winchester facility due to “highly trained” workers on strike. The plant disruption could potentially impact “timely production of critical ammunition” that the U.S. military and its allies depend on.
IAM said in its fact sheet that the Lake City Army ammunition plant is a “cornerstone of the U.S. industrial defense base” and represents “the backbone of America’s small-caliber ammunition supply.”
“There is no immediate alternative that can match Lake City’s volume or specialized production capabilities,” the union said. “It has a long track record of high-quality, military-grade ammunition production meeting stringent [Department of Defense] standards.”
Local 778 workers said they have been facing pressure from Olin and Winchester in an April 4 Facebook post. The Machinists union accused the companies of spreading information intended to “instill fear and coerce” employees to return to work.
“They are sending emails, texts, and having supervisors calling you to inform you that you must ‘call in’ each day or risk attendance points being assessed,” the union said in the Facebook post. “They have told you that by striking you risk being replaced or possibly your position will be gone if you do not return. DO NOT BUY INTO THIS! There is no contract in place. You are protected by law to engage in this lawful and sanctioned strike.”
IAM has been busy with worker contracts and issues in 2026. IAM District 776, which represents 5,000 workers in Fort Worth, Texas; Naval Air Station Pax River, Maryland; and Edwards Air Force Base, California, began contract negotiations with weapons maker Lockheed Martin on March 26. The contract between the two parties expires at midnight on June 14.
IAM has also been working to prevent Whirlpool’s plan to lay off 341 employees at its manufacturing facility in Amana, Iowa. Bargaining between the two parties is complete, IAM said in an email. The union was unable to obtain severance rights for the workers and the only item they secured was an extra year of recall rights.
Editor’s note: The story is updated to include additional statements from IAM.
