WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a scathing letter to Boeing’s CEO, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has demanded the aerospace giant immediately return to the bargaining table and end a nine-week strike by 3,200 union machinists in St. Louis, condemning the company’s actions as “corporate greed.”
The strike, led by the International Association of Machinists District 837, centers on disputes over wages, benefits, and retirement contributions. Sanders revealed that the union has submitted a new proposal with 90% membership support that could end the strike, which he characterized as “very reasonable.”
The union’s offer includes a fair wage increase, a $10,000 ratification bonus, and a modest increase in Boeing’s contributions to its 401(k) plan. Sanders directly countered Boeing’s characterization of the strike as a “publicity stunt,” pointing out that the St. Louis proposal is less generous than a contract ratified last year with 32,000 machinists in Washington state that included a 38% pay raise and a $12,000 bonus.
The senator’s letter paints a stark picture of the financial hardship facing workers, noting that some machinists make as little as $18 an hour and require two or three jobs to make ends meet. He expressed outrage that Boeing eliminated the strikers’ health insurance at the end of August, forcing employees to pay up to $2,500 monthly for COBRA coverage—a cost many cannot afford.
Sanders contrasted the workers’ plight with the massive compensation packages for Boeing’s executives. He highlighted that current CEO Kelly Ortberg received $18.4 million for just four months of work. He also recalled that former CEO Dennis Muilenburg received a $62.2 million golden parachute after the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people, and another former CEO, David Calhoun, was projected to receive up to $45 million upon his departure.
Further underscoring the company’s financial capacity, Sanders noted that Boeing spent $68 billion on stock buybacks over the past decade—funds he argued should have been invested in airplane safety or worker conditions. He also emphasized Boeing’s reliance on taxpayer money, citing $27.9 billion in U.S. government contracts last year alone and over $15.5 billion in “corporate welfare” since 2000.
“If Boeing can afford to provide you with $18.4 million in compensation for just four months of work, it can afford to provide its highly-skilled Machinists with a $10,000 ratification bonus,” Sanders wrote.
The senator concluded with a direct appeal: “Mr. Ortberg: Do the right thing. Immediately reinstate the health insurance you took away from your workers… Sign a fair contract.”
The ball is now in Boeing’s court to respond to the senator’s demands as the strike by the machinists, who build the F-15 and F-18 fighter jets, continues into its third month.
