More than 3,200 members of the St. Louis-area machinists union will soon go on strike after voting to reject the latest contract proposal from Boeing on Sunday afternoon.
Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 voted to reject a four-year labor agreement with the company after an earlier version of the proposal failed on July 27. The unionized members work in facilities located in St. Louis, St. Charles and Mascoutah.
A strike is set to begin at midnight.
“Solidarity is our strength,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett in a statement. “This vote shows that when workers stand together, they can push back against corporate greed and fight for a better future for themselves and their families. We are proud to back our members every step of the way.”
Dan Gillian, Boeing St. Louis vice president of air dominance, said after the vote that the company is prepared for a strike.
“We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40% average wage growth and resolved their primary issue on alternative work schedules,” Gillian said in a statement. “We have fully implemented our contingency plan to ensure our non-striking workforce can continue supporting our customers.”
Boeing in St. Louis largely focuses on the company’s defense arm, including a recent government contract to build the Air Force’s next-generation fighter jet, the F-47.
Last week, members of the union overwhelmingly rejected the last contract offer, saying in a release: “The proposal from Boeing Defense fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce.”
The latest proposal included a 50 cents-per-hour pay increase with an additive for good attendance for employees at the top of the pay scale and changed the pension multiplier to $10 the first year instead of $5 in the second and third year.
Union representatives said the modified contract included a 20% pay increase for all other employees over four years. This means an employee making $75,000 a year would make $102,600 in four years, not including incentives and overtime pay.
The union argued the deal was unfair because employees at the top of the pay scale aren’t eligible for the same pay increase under the deal.
The original deal increased vacation time, sick time and a 401(k) program, a company official said.
