The union representing about 3,200 machinists in the St. Louis area said there was "no progress made" during resumed contract talks with Boeing on Monday, nearly a month after the strike began.
“We’re hoping to meet more during the week. The ball is in the company’s court,” said International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 in a statement.
On Aug. 3, 63% of the members of IAM 837 rejected Boeing’s updated contract proposal. They began striking at the Boeing facilities in Berkeley, St. Charles and Maskoutah on Aug. 4.
The revised proposal removed an alternative workweek schedule, added 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 members said the contract still fell short regarding the general wage increase, vacation time and other benefits.
Keifer Beem, an assistant mechanic for Boeing who was on the picket line in Berkeley on Monday, said he is willing to keep striking as long as necessary to get the contract the union wants.
“The best thing that we can do is just stand our footing, and just make it loud and clear we're not going back to work until we can get ourselves a good, fair contract with better wages,” Beem said.
He said he does not have confidence that Boeing will agree to the union’s requests.
“I have a feeling that Boeing is probably going to try to present us the exact same contract, just worded a little bit differently,” Beem said.
Another union member had a more positive outlook. Michael Bergen, a toolmaker for Boeing, said he believes IAM 837 and Boeing will come to an agreement.
“They don’t want to be on strike, we don't want to be on strike,” Bergen said. “We've got to come to terms in something that we can both live with. I'm very confident.”
Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president, shares this attitude.
“We look forward to further conversations with the union and finding a path forward to end the strike and bring our team back to work,” Gillian said in a statement Monday morning.
Bergen said his main concerns are reinstating a sign-on bonus for new employees and removing a pay cap for the highest-paid employees.
In the current contract, the general wage increase for most workers is 8% in the first year and 4% for years 2, 3 and 4. But employees at the top of the pay scale would only receive the 8% in year 1 and the 4% in year 4. In the second and third years, they would receive a 5% lump sum.
“Your higher-paid employees are the ones that make it happen. They lead the jobs. They teach everybody. They’re mentors,” Bergen said.
