Boeing Faces Strike Threat as Defence Workers Reject Pay Offer

In a critical setback for Boeing, over 3,000 defence workers are preparing to strike starting Monday, following a rejected pay offer focusing on wages, work schedules, and pensions. Union members at the company's facilities in Missouri and Illinois, where F-15 fighter jets and other military aircraft are manufactured, expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposal, despite Boeing's promise of a 40% average wage increase. Union representatives, notably from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), are advocating for a fair contract that honors the vital role these workers play in national defence. This strike would be Boeing's first in its defence sector since 1996, further complicating the company's efforts to recover from previous crises that have severely impacted its reputation and finances, including two fatal plane crashes and a lengthy strike among passenger jet workers last year.

Boeing's ongoing turmoil is compounded by its recent historical lows in aircraft deliveries, which are among the company's lowest outputs since the onset of the pandemic.