Boeing Workers Strike After Rejecting Contract Offer

New York, Aug 4 (AP) — Boeing workers responsible for building fighter jets commenced a strike at midnight Central Daylight Time on Monday.

Approximately 3,200 employees from Boeing locations in St Louis; St Charles, Missouri; and Mascoutah, Illinois, decided to reject a revised four-year labor contract offered by Boeing. This decision was announced by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union on Sunday.

Through a post on X, the union stated: "3,200 highly-skilled IAM Union members at Boeing went on strike at midnight because enough is enough.” This decision came after the rejection of an earlier proposal, which featured a 20% wage increment across four years, from the beleaguered aerospace giant.

“IAM District 837 members build the aircraft and defense systems that keep our country safe,” commented Sam Cicinelli, Midwest territory general vice president for the union. “They deserve nothing less than a contract that keeps their families secure and recognizes their unmatched expertise.” The recent proposal was turned down following a weeklong cooling-off period.

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

Boeing has been under strain following the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max airplanes, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019, which resulted in 346 fatalities. Additionally, in June, an Air India-operated Boeing Dreamliner crashed, resulting in at least 260 deaths.

Last week, Boeing reported an improvement in its second-quarter revenue and noted reduced losses. The company recorded a $611 million loss in the second quarter, a notable narrowing from the $1.44 billion loss reported during the same period last year. (AP)

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