U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has urged Boeing to return to negotiations with striking members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 in St. Louis. In a letter dated October 1 to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Sanders referenced the union’s proposal, which was approved by 90% of its members and could potentially end the nine-week strike.
“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 criticized Boeing for ending health insurance for striking employees and pointed out disparities between executive compensation and line worker pay, some of whom earn as little as $18 an hour.
The senator’s intervention follows a virtual town hall he held with District 837 members on September 30, where they discussed their demands for better pay, job respect, and long-term security for families in St. Louis.
Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security division reported a 10% rise in second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, reaching $6.6 billion for fiscal 2025. IAM District 837 members have rejected several company offers, citing concerns that these proposals do not meet basic standards of fairness.
During Scott Mayer’s confirmation hearing for the National Labor Relations Board, Sanders questioned Mayer—Boeing’s chief labor counsel—about what he described as failures by the corporation regarding 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 continue with assistance from a federal mediator. The union states that its members have been prepared to bargain fairly since the beginning of the strike on August 4.
The ongoing dispute has attracted support from elected officials, community groups, and labor leaders who emphasize the important role played by IAM District 837 workers in assembling military aircraft and defense systems.
The IAM represents around 600,000 active and retired members across North America working in sectors such as aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit systems, healthcare services, automotive manufacturing, among others.
