The union representing more than 3,200 Boeing defense workers has stated that the company’s effort to reject its latest employee-created proposal for not being real is “both insulting and dishonest.”
In a statement, released on September 23, 2025, Jody Bennett, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM union) Resident General Vice President, said that labeling the members’ ratified proposal as “not real” is “disrespectful to every worker” and Boeing cannot “wish it away with a press release filled with lies”.
“What’s not real is Boeing’s claim that it values its workforce while refusing to recognize the will of the very people who give their blood, sweat, and tears to produce the finest planes and other defense equipment that keep our nation and men and women in uniform safe,” Bennett said, adding that IAM District 837 members are the reason “why Boeing has a product to sell, a reputation to defend, and profits to claim”.
“It’s time the company stopped playing games with the livelihoods of the very people who make its success possible and come back to the table in good faith,” Bennett said
On September 16, 2025, IAM union leaders put together a self-crafted four-year contract proposal with their own offers regarding salary and ratification bonuses. On September 19, 2025, the workers voted 90% in favor of approving the contract and submitted it to the company.
However, in an update post on its official website on September 23, 2025, Boeing said “it’s unfortunate the union led its members to vote on an offer that we didn’t extend or collectively bargain.”
The planemaker added that union leadership continues to have “selective memory when it comes to real Boeing offers they have twice endorsed.”
“In fact, IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett originally said of our contract offer: “With stronger pensions, real wage growth, and better work-life balance, we’ve delivered a contract that meets the moment.” We agree with him and remain open to constructive talks within the boundaries of our landmark offer for Midwest manufacturing,” the update continued.
The strike has already disrupted critical defense production and is estimated to have cost the company millions of dollars each day in lost output and delayed deliveries.
However, the IAM union has shown a willingness to keep negotiating but stated that “the ball is in Boeing’s court”.
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