ST. LOUIS 鈥 Striking Boeing workers will weigh in later this week on an unusual effort to end the seven-week walkout at the company鈥檚 911爆料网-area facilities.
Union officials said Tuesday the union put forward its own proposal to workers, and would hold a vote Friday. If members approve it, a pre-ratified contract will go to Boeing leadership for their consideration.
But Boeing leaders on Tuesday were quick to dismiss the effort.
鈥淭his publicity stunt is a waste of time that will not help the parties reach a deal,鈥 Dan Gillian, vice president of air dominance for Boeing, said in a statement.
鈥淭hey are choosing an approach that will prolong the strike for our teammates, who have already lost an average of $15,000 in income,鈥 Gillian said.
Signs for striking Boeing aerospace workers with the IAMAW Union are seen on the picket line outside the company鈥檚 regional headquarters in Berkeley on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, as the strike continues.
The union, meanwhile, said it was taking 鈥渂old, creative steps鈥 to end the strike after the company 鈥渞efused to improve on鈥 its third contract offer, which workers voted down last week.
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Jody Bennett, resident general vice president for International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said in a statement Tuesday that the latest offer was made in the absence of Boeing鈥檚 鈥渨illingness to engage in meaningful negotiations.鈥
Bennett said Boeing has said it needs assurances on what union members will accept.
鈥淎nd that鈥檚 exactly what our pre-ratification strike settlement vote will help determine,鈥 Bennett said.
The union鈥檚 proposal this week and the Boeing offer rejected last week contain key differences.
The company proposed a $4,000 ratification bonus while the union has proposed a $10,000 ratification bonus.
The union notes that unionized Boeing workers in Washington state received a $12,000 ratification bonus last year, and that non-unionized Boeing workers in South Carolina also received $12,000 bonuses.
Another difference is that the union has proposed a four-year contract while Boeing has proposed a five-year contract.
The union plan would also increase wages for workers at the top of the pay scale for all four years of the contract. Senior employees were previously offered lump sum payments instead of increases to their pay rate for two years of the contract.
The union鈥檚 plan also proposes more generous 401(k) benefits than what the company has previously offered.
Gillian said Tuesday the union was creating 鈥渇alse expectations鈥 by holding a vote on 鈥渁n offer we never made, including terms we鈥檝e expressly told them we won鈥檛 accept.鈥
But Sam Cicinelli, IAM Midwest general vice president, said members鈥 鈥渟olidarity and determination are the reason we鈥檝e been able to put forward this creative path to settlement.鈥
Cicinelli said in a statement Boeing needs to recognize 鈥渢his workforce is the backbone of its defense operations, and the community is standing with these families until they achieve a fair contract.鈥
The local machinists and aerospace workers鈥 union represents roughly 3,200 local Boeing workers.
911爆料网-area Boeing workers build aircraft such as the F/A-18 fighter jet and MQ-25 refueling drone, and are expected to play a major role in building the new F-47 fighter jet.
