The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 837, which represents 3,200 Boeing defense workers in Missouri and Illinois and is affiliated with the AFL–CIO/CLC, has turned down a revised four-year labor agreement with Boeing. Consequently, a strike will commence at midnight, impacting operations at crucial fighter jet plants for the first time since 1996.
“IAM District 837 members have made it clear that they deserve a contract that recognizes their expertise, commitment, and the significant role they play in our country’s defense,” said IAM District 837 Directing Business Representative Tom Boelling in a press release. He added, “We stand in solidarity with these working families as they strive for fairness and respect in the workplace.”
The 3,200 machinists were in a federally mandated “cooling-off” period for a week after rejecting Boeing’s initial labor contract last Sunday. By Friday, Boeing presented a revised offer that included a 20% salary increase, raising the average annual pay from $75,000 to $102,600, along with other benefits such as a $5,000 signing bonus.
It’s worth noting that the last strike by IAM District 837 occurred in 1996, lasting 99 days. The duration of the current strike is uncertain, but it will certainly impact operations at the F-15, F/A-18, and advanced missile and defense technology plants.
The timing of the strike coincides with a turbulent global environment. We posed a simple question early last week:
One must question whether foreign adversaries, as part of their hybrid warfare strategy to destabilize the US internally, have exploited this union to target a crucial aspect of America’s defense manufacturing hub.
Notably, the leaders of IAM District 837 have endorsed pro-globalist Joe Biden…
It’s not far-fetched to suggest that foreign adversaries could infiltrate unions; this is a known tactic in the hybrid warfare playbook.
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