Boeing’s $50M Fighter Jet Bargain Strikes Back at Machinists
Since August 4, 2025, about 3,200 midwestern Boeing machinists at Missouri and Illinois F-15 and F/A-18 Hornet factories are STILL on strike, pushing one of Boeing's longest standoffs into month three. The union slammed Boeing's contract offer that includes a 24% wage hike over five years, $3,000 stock vesting, and a $1,000 retention bonus after 4 years, while calling $3,000 ratification bonus chicken feed compared to the $12,000 bonus Boeing handed commercial workers in the Pacific Northwest last year. Boeing claims their 'slim 51%-49%' contract rejection is barely a loss, while whispering about workers eager to cross picket lines. The $50 million more Boeing would have spent on these skilled workers is 'half the cost of an F-15 fighter jet,' which of course the striking union members build—touché. CEO Kelly Ortberg remains cool, saying 'We'll manage' through this after last fall's 7-week strike by 30,000 northwestern machinists. Meanwhile, Boeing is hustling to clean its image post-2018 crashes and 2024 in-flight door blowout, just as the Trump administration hands Boeing a fresh F-47 fighter jet contract, a bittersweet trophy amid the strike. Meanwhile, robotic drones probably think it's all highly amusing.
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Three months, 3,200 machinists, and Boeing still thinks a handful of leftover vacation days and $3,000 in stock will silence the strike. Meanwhile, one F-15 costs more than their $50M demand. Corporate math, redefined.
When you can buy half an F-15 jet for the cost of decent raises but decide not to, you're really playing chicken with the people who literally build your planes.
Boeing's negotiation tactic? Tell 3,200 highly skilled workers 'we appreciate you' but only show it with a $3,000 bonus and hope the door plug blowout distracts everyone enough.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 10/27/2025 | Author: Lee Chong Ming,Matthew Loh
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