Key Points and Summary – Over 3,200 Boeing machinists in St. Louis are set to vote this Sunday on a “last, best and final” contract offer, with a strike looming if it is rejected.
-These workers build key defense products, including for the new F-47 NGAD fighter. However, despite the potential disruption, aerospace analysts cited in the report believe a strike at this stage would not significantly impact the F-47’s overall timeline.
-They reason that because the next-generation fighter program is still in its earliest phases, a work stoppage now is unlikely to cause major production delays.
F-47 Fighter Facing a Strike Problem?
When Boeing was awarded the contract by the US Air Force to build the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) 6th-generation fighter in March, it marked a significant milestone for the longstanding aerospace manufacturer in multiple ways.
First and foremost, the NGAD will be Boeing’s quantum leap into the 6th Generation technology realm, giving it a bit of sweet payback against Lockheed Martin after losing out to the latter firm in the race to field a 5th Generation stealth fighter (Boeing’s X-32 lost out to the F-35 Lightning II in that arena).
Secondly, the F-47 will be Boeing’s first truly original production-phase fighter plane since the 1932-vintage P-26 Peashooter.
What’s more, since the F-47 is set to be assembled at Boeing’s facilities in St. Louis, Missouri, the program is expected to be a massive boon to the economic well-being of “the Gateway City.”
However, a mere five months after the happy news announcement, there’s already a sign of trouble in paradise.
The F-47 program may already be hitting its first potential snag.
Not a technological bug or one of those dreaded cost overruns, but a labor strike.
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)
As noted in a 1 August 2025 report by Olivia Mizzelle of St. Louis Public Radio, “More than 3,200 members of the St. Louis machinists union will vote on a modified contract proposal from Boeing on Sunday…Earlier this week, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 overwhelmingly rejected the last contract proposal, saying in a release that it ‘fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce’…A union representative did not immediately respond to request for comment Friday.”
According to Dan Gillian, Boeing St. Louis’ vice president of air dominance, one of the union members’ chief concerns was the alternative workweek schedule proposal, which would have enabled the company to schedule employees for four consecutive 10-hour shifts, Monday to Friday, or three consecutive 12-hour shifts, Friday to Monday.
The St. Louis laborers are responsible for defense products for Boeing at sites not only in St. Louis County, but also St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois (which is in nearby St. Clair County).
Among the warbirds they currently build are MQ-25 refueling drones, T-7A trainer, and F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets (the latter two are carryovers from Boeing’s 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas).
The Next Step: Do-Or-Die Time
The next step will be the IAM 837 members’ aforementioned vote on the modified contract proposal, which is scheduled for this Sunday, August 3, 2025.
This new proposal omits the alternative workweek schedule, instead preserving the current work hours and overtime structure. It adds a 50-cent-per-hour pay increase, with an additional bonus for good attendance, for employees at the top of the pay scale. Additionally, it changes the pension multiplier to $10 for the first year, instead of $5 for the second and third years.
There will also be a 20 percent pay increase for all other employees over four years, increased vacation time, sick time, and a “world class” 401(k) program.
As Mr. Gillian states, “It is our last, best and final offer and, we think, a very compelling offer…Nobody wins in a strike. Our employees won’t win in a strike. Our company doesn’t, and our customers certainly don’t. So while we don’t want that to be the outcome, we have prepared in case that is what we see happen on Sunday.”
In 5 Words: F-47 Likely Won’t Be Impacted
Luckily for the Boeing execs, they have a contingency plan in case the union votes no and carries out the strike. Under this plan, which the union authorized, non-union employees at the St. Louis facilities would continue to come to work.
To assess the potential impact on the NGAD program, Seattle Times business reporter Lauren Rosenblatt consulted two subject matter experts, namely (1) Scott Mikus, an aerospace analyst with Melius Research, and (2) Ron Epstein, an analyst with Bank of America: “Epstein and Mikus said the strike would not impact Boeing’s latest defense win: a contract from the U.S. Air Force to build its next fighter jet, the F-47…Because the contract is so new, and Boeing is just starting to expand operations to accommodate production, a strike right now would likely not delay that timeline, the analysts said…The strike also would likely not impact two Boeing defense products that are built as derivatives of commercial planes: the KC-46 tanker built in Everett and the P-8 Poseidon built in Renton.”
Both Everett and Renton are cities in Washington state.
What Happens Next on the F-47 Fighter?
One can only hope the strike does not impact the F-47, as China is already putting out some impressive photos and social media coverage of its 6th-generation fighter.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU).
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George
August 4, 2025 at 4:10 pm
The entire West is bankrupt and failing against Russia in Ukraine. Your lack of awareness is amazing.