U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has urged Boeing to resume negotiations with striking workers in St. Louis and reach a contract agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837.
In a letter dated October 1 addressed to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Sanders referenced the union’s proposal that received approval from 90% of its members, stating it could end the ongoing 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 those participating in the strike and noted differences between executive compensation and worker pay, highlighting that some line workers earn as little as $18 per hour.
This intervention follows Sanders’ participation in a virtual town hall on September 30 with IAM District 837 members where they discussed issues including fair compensation and job security for families in St. Louis.
Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security division recently reported second-quarter revenue of $6.6 billion for fiscal year 2025, representing a ten percent increase compared to the previous year.
Members of IAM District 837 have rejected several company proposals, maintaining that these offers do not meet acceptable standards of fairness.
During Scott Mayer’s confirmation hearing for the National Labor Relations Board, Senator Sanders questioned Mayer—Boeing’s chief labor counsel—about how the company has handled labor relations during this dispute.
“This strike is about more than wages,” said Brian Bryant, International President of IAM Union. “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 ongoing with assistance from a federal mediator. The union states its readiness to negotiate since the start of the strike on August 4; they await an improved offer from Boeing.
The strike has drawn growing support from political figures, community organizations, and labor leaders who emphasize the importance of IAM District 837 workers in assembling military aircraft and defense systems.
IAM represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members throughout North America across sectors such as aerospace, defense manufacturing, airlines, shipbuilding, transit systems management, healthcare services delivery, automotive production lines among others.
