ST. LOUIS – Thousands of Boeing workers in the St. Louis region could strike in the upcoming weeks over a potential contract impasse.þþA contract representing 2,500 Boeing workers around St. Louis is set to expire July 25. Those workers are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 union.þþThe IAM union says there will be a membership vote on June 24 over the “last, best, and final” contract offer from Boeing. If the union formally rejects the contract next weekend, workers could go on strike as soon as August 1, following a seven-day waiting period in the current contract.þþA bargaining committee with the union disapproves of the latest contract proposal on Boeing’s end. The major areas of contention are wage increases, auto progression rates, and 401(k) gains.þþ“The company failed to see the membership’s needs on various issues,” said IAM District 837 President and Directing Business Representative Tom Boelling. “We continued to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting ourselves and our families at risk to maintain production and ensure Boeing obtained the T-7 trainer and MQ-25 refueling drone. We have fought and sacrificed over the years to make this company successful. It’s time Boeing returns the favor and treats us with the dignity and respect we’ve earned and rightfully deserve.”þþThe latest round of contract negotiations ran from July 6-15, according to IAM. Union members overwhelmingly passed a strike sanction vote on June 25 by 99 percent.þþThe union represents workers at Boeing facilities in St. Louis County, St. Charles and Mascoutah, Illinois and more than 600,000 machinists worldwide.þþFOX 2 has reached out to Boeing spokesperson for comment and will update if new details in the contract talks become available.þþ
Source: fox2now.com
