Boeing workers who build fighter jets go on strike. What we know

Boeing workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where the company builds military aircraft and weapons went on strike on Monday.

The International Machinists and Aerospace Workers union said on July 27 that a vote by District 837 members was against a proposed contract from Boeing, and the union said a "cooling off" period would keep a strike from beginning for another week, until Aug. 4.

Why are Boeing workers on strike?

Dig deeper:

The Associated Press reported that the strike began at Boeing facilities in St. Louis; St. Charles, Missouri; and Mascoutah, Illinois, after 3,200 Boeing union workers, who assemble fighter jets, voted Sunday to reject a modified four-year labor agreement. 

The deal would have raised the average pay wage by about 40% and included a 20% general wage hike and a $5,000 ratification bonus, which also included increasing periodic raises, more vacation time and sick leave, FOX Business reported, citing Reuters. 

"IAM District 837 members build the aircraft and defense systems that keep our country safe," Sam Cicinelli, the general vice president of the union’s Midwest division, said in a statement provided to the Associated Press. "They deserve nothing less than a contract that keeps their families secure and recognizes their unmatched expertise."

According to the AP, Boeing said that it anticipated the strike after workers rejected its latest offer, which did not further boost the proposed wage hike. However, the proposed deal removed a scheduling condition that would have impacted workers’ ability to earn overtime pay.

Boeing releases statement on the strike

The other side:

In a statement obtained by the Associated Press, Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and general manager, and senior St. Louis site executive said, "We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40% average wage growth and resolved their primary issue on alternative work schedules. "We are prepared for a strike and have fully implemented our contingency plan to ensure our non-striking workforce can continue supporting our customers."

News of this latest strike comes after a separate one which occurred in 2024 that shut down Boeing’s factories in Washington state for more than seven weeks during a time when the company was embroiled in several federal investigations last year after a door plug blew off a 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024.