U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has urged Boeing to resume negotiations with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837, whose 3,200 members have been on strike in St. Louis for nine weeks.
In a letter dated October 1 to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Sanders noted that the union’s proposal had been approved by 90% of its members and could bring an immediate end to the ongoing labor dispute. “What the Machinists in St. Louis are proposing is not radical. It is less generous than the contract you ratified last year with 32,000 Machinists in Washington state,” Sanders wrote. “If Boeing can afford to spend $68 billion on stock buybacks and provide golden parachutes worth over $100 million to former executives, it can afford to provide decent retirement benefits and fair wages to its workers.”
Sanders also criticized Boeing for cutting health insurance for striking employees and highlighted pay disparities between company executives and line workers, some of whom earn as little as $18 per hour.
The senator’s letter follows a virtual town hall he held with IAM District 837 members on September 30, where issues such as fair pay, workplace respect, and long-term security were discussed.
Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security division reported a 10% increase in second-quarter revenue for fiscal year 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching $6.6 billion. Despite this growth, IAM members have rejected several offers from Boeing, stating they do not meet their expectations for fairness.
During a recent confirmation hearing for Scott Mayer—Boeing’s chief labor counsel nominated for the National Labor Relations Board—Sanders questioned Mayer about Boeing’s handling of labor relations.
“This strike is about more than wages,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “It’s about respect, fairness, and the future of good aerospace jobs, not only in St. Louis, but across North America. Boeing must stop playing games with our members’ lives and present them with an offer that reflects their skillset, dedication, and sacrifices. Our members deserve respect and dignity for their contributions to building this company, as well as for their service in protecting our troops and nation.”
Negotiations between IAM District 837 and Boeing are continuing with assistance from a federal mediator. The union states that its members have been prepared to negotiate fairly since the start of the strike.
Support for the strikers has grown among elected officials, community groups, and other labor leaders who emphasize the importance of IAM District 837 workers in producing advanced military aircraft and defense systems.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired members across North America in sectors including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railways, transit systems, healthcare services, automotive manufacturing, among others.
