Boeing delivers 27 MAX jets in September despite strike

SEATTLE

Boeing delivered 33 new aircraft to customers in September in spite of a labor strike of Seattle-area workers that has shuttered two major assembly plants, the company has said.

The aerospace giant delivered 27 Boeing 737 MAX jets, which are assembled in Renton, Washington, which has gone quiet since the strike launched Sept. 13 by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

The 737 MAX planes were cleared for delivery by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Boeing, which expects fewer deliveries in the coming period due to the strike.

Boeing also delivered four 787 Dreamliner planes, which are assembled at a non-union plant in Charleston, South Carolina that is not out on strike.

Boeing has delivered 291 aircraft through the end of the third quarter, down 22 percent from the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, Boeing suspended negotiations with its striking workers as it accused the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) of making unreasonable demands and withdrew its offer.

"The union made non-negotiable demands far in excess of what can be accepted if we are to remain competitive as a business," the U.S. aerospace giant said in an email to employees. 

"Given that position, further negotiations do not make sense at this point and our offer has been withdrawn."

About 33,000 Boeing workers in the Pacific Northwest have been on strike for nearly a month in a fight focused on higher wages and improved retirement benefits.

Workers complain of more than a decade of near-flat wages during a period when inflation has risen.

Boeing's most recent offer included a 30 percent wage hike.