{"id":5691,"date":"2025-10-01T17:22:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T22:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/fight-together-win-together-striking-boeing-workers-rally-in-st-louis-2\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T17:22:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T22:22:00","slug":"fight-together-win-together-striking-boeing-workers-rally-in-st-louis-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/fight-together-win-together-striking-boeing-workers-rally-in-st-louis-2\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Fight together, win together\u2019: Striking Boeing workers rally in St. Louis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Joshua Arnold, Boeing Defense worker and a union shop steward, attends a rally Wednesday with his children at the IAM Union Hall in Hazelwood. (Photo by Rebecca Rivas\/The Missouri Independent)<\/p>\n

Joshua Arnold bounced his young daughter on his shoulders, as he and a crowd of Boeing Defense workers yelled, \u201cStand together, fight together, win together\u201d at a union rally Wednesday in St. Louis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arnold and about 3,200 Boeing machinists in the St. Louis area have now been on strike for more than eight weeks, demanding <\/span>better pay and retirement benefits<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a strike captain, Arnold works a 12-hour shift on the strike line, and he talks to the people coming in and off their four-hour shifts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are some folks that are hurting, and there are some folks who found other work,\u201d Arnold said. \u201cBut most of the people that I talk to are still fired up, and they\u2019re angry at the way the company is bargaining with us, too. It\u2019s just been blatantly disrespectful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That anger was apparent among the crowd of more than 200 people at the Wednesday rally, held at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 Union Hall in Hazelwood.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Monday, Boeing and union representatives met with a federal mediator, in an effort to find a path to end the strike.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But both parties issued statements Monday that the negotiations failed. The union said Boeing refused to budge, and the company said union reps came to the table with \u201cunrealistic\u201d expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs we have said multiple times, we are open to constructive feedback from the union within the overall economics of our offer, which is at the top of the market for Midwest manufacturing,\u201d according to a statement Boeing issued Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The union said, \u201cThe way to end this strike continues to be the sensible <\/span>pre-ratified offer<\/span><\/a> that was approved by our membership. We are available when the company has an improved offer. Continue to stand strong!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, workers voted to <\/span>approve a union-proposed contract<\/span><\/a>, a four-year contract proposal that includes a $10,000 ratification bonus instead of the $4,000 bonus Boeing proposed. It also addresses one of the workers\u2019 biggest concerns of pay raises for top-of-scale members and 401(k) benefits, union leaders said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Monday, the union offered a modified version of the contract, but didn\u2019t give specifics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Democratic Missouri Sen. Doug Beck of Affton, who attended the rally, said he believes the union\u2019s demands are feasible for Boeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Missouri Sen. Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, talks with Brian Bryant, IAM Union International President after a rally held at the IAM union hall in Hazelwood. (Photo by Rebecca Rivas\/The Missouri Independent)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf you see what Boeing does and if you see what these folks do, especially keeping our country safe, you have to put a high priority on that,\u201d Beck said. \u201cA lot of these folks are the highest trained in the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>union statement<\/span><\/a> announcing the strike on Aug. 4, its members \u201cassemble and maintain advanced aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-15, F\/A-18, and cutting-edge missile and defense technologies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Arnold and several workers said Boeing continues to send the message that their employees are expendable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how they view us,\u201d Arnold said. \u201cWe\u2019re just a factor of production, no more than a piece of wood or a wrench, and their sole focus is the bottom line, trying to get their product produced for as little as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After members voted down <\/span>Boeing\u2019s second offer<\/span><\/a>, the company announced its plan to hire replacement workers. Boeing assembly mechanic Rodney Herd thought people would get scared, but they\u2019re still there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal feeling is that the company doesn\u2019t care about us,\u201d he said. \u201cThey just want to replace us, even though it takes a long time to acquire the skills we have. It\u2019s a slap in the face to us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now some employees believe the company will try to push strike out into the holidays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey can provide for their families for the holidays, but our health care is gone,\u201d Herd said. \u201cEverything\u2019s gone now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Many workers, Herd said, have started to look for permanent work somewhere else. Others have found temporary jobs while the strike continues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe offer we gave them is pretty fair,\u201d Herd said. \u201cThey just want to keep saying we\u2019re not worth it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n <\/i>\n

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n