Boeing (NYSE:BA) and the union representing more than 3,200 striking defense workers will return to contract negotiations on Monday with help from a federal mediator, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said Friday.
The strike, now in its 11th week, has disrupted production of F-15EX fighter jets and munitions, delaying deliveries to the U.S. Air Force, according to written testimony by Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach to the Senate Armed Services Committee. The delay could affect operations at the Portland Air National Guard Base and postpone the aircraft’s first overseas deployment.
IAM members at Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) St. Louis-area defense plants walked off the job on August 4 after rejecting two contract offers. A third proposal, which union members also voted down in September, made only minor changes. The union recently filed an unfair labor practice complaint, accusing Boeing (BA) of bargaining in bad faith.
Boeing (BA) has said it does not plan to significantly improve its offer and has begun recruiting replacement workers, a move union leaders called impractical given training and security clearance requirements. Lawmakers from both parties, including Senators Ed Markey, Josh Hawley and Bernie Sanders, have criticized the company’s handling of the dispute.