WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has sent a letter to Boeing’s President and CEO Kelly Ortberg, urging him to negotiate in good faith with Boeing’s 3,300 machinists currently on strike in St. Louis.
Senator Hawley wrote, “As you know, these nearly 3,300 machinists have been on strike for fourteen weeks. That’s fourteen weeks without a paycheck and access to healthcare. A few weeks ago, I heard from Joshua Arnold—a decade-plus Boeing Defense shop steward, Army veteran, and father—when he testified before a Senate committee. He reported that, because of Boeing’s refusal to offer the machinists a contract that mirrors their value to the company, he and his fellow machinists have been without a paycheck for over three months. Further, some of the out-of-work machinists, who cannot readily obtain health insurance through a spouse’s plan, are forced to pay insurance rates in the thousands per month. This is unacceptable.”
Senator Hawley concluded, “Just last year, Boeing and machinists in Seattle agreed to a beneficial contract after those machinists were on strike for 53 days. It is my understanding that Boeing’s offers to the St. Louis machinists have not contained similar terms. There exists a precedent for offering a better deal, and I urge you to finalize a reasonable agreement as soon as possible. These workers help produce our Nation’s most crucial, most advanced, and most expensive defense tools. And since your company receives billions in government contracts, it is incumbent upon you to do the right thing.”
Read the full letter below.
November 4, 2025
Kelly Ortberg
President and Chief Executive Officer
Boeing
929 Long Bridge Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mr. Ortberg:
I write to request that Boeing negotiate in good faith with the nearly 3,300 Boeing Defense machinists currently on strike in the St. Louis, Missouri area. I also urge you, as President of Boeing, to quickly reach an agreement that the IAM 837 machinists can afford to accept.
As you know, these nearly 3,300 machinists have been on strike for fourteen weeks. That’s fourteen weeks without a paycheck and access to healthcare. A few weeks ago, I heard from Joshua Arnold—a decade-plus Boeing Defense shop steward, Army veteran, and father—when he testified before a Senate committee. He reported that, because of Boeing’s refusal to offer the machinists a contract that mirrors their value to the company, he and his fellow machinists have been without a paycheck for over three months. Further, some of the out-of-work machinists, who cannot readily obtain health insurance through a spouse’s plan, are forced to pay insurance rates in the thousands per month. This is unacceptable.
Just last year, Boeing and machinists in Seattle agreed to a beneficial contract after those machinists were on strike for 53 days. It is my understanding that Boeing’s offers to the St. Louis machinists have not contained similar terms. There exists a precedent for offering a better deal, and I urge you to finalize a reasonable agreement as soon as possible. These workers help produce our Nation’s most crucial, most advanced, and most expensive defense tools. And since your company receives billions in government contracts, it is incumbent upon you to do the right thing.
It is time to get a deal done. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator