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On August 4, 2025, about 3,200 Boeing defense workers in the St. Louis area, represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 837, went on strike after rejecting the company’s contract offer. The strike lasted more than three months and ended in November 2025, when members approved a five-year contract. The lasting lesson for California workers: federal law protects your right to strike, but how protected you are depends on why you strike and how the strike is carried out.
Key takeaways
- The National Labor Relations Act protects most private-sector workers’ right to strike, union or not.
- Economic strikers cannot be fired but may be replaced in some circumstances; unfair labor practice strikers cannot be permanently replaced.
- In California, a worker who leaves work because of a trade dispute generally cannot collect unemployment while the dispute is active (Unemployment Insurance Code §1262).
- California employers recruiting during a strike must say so plainly in their job ads (Labor Code §973).
What happened at Boeing
According to the IAM, the walkout began August 4, 2025, after members voted down Boeing’s offer for its St. Louis-area defense unit, which builds military aircraft including the F-15 and F/A-18. News reports said the August offer included a $5,000 ratification bonus.
Members rejected four offers before approving a new deal in November 2025. Reported terms of the final contract include a five-year term, a 24% general wage increase (8% in the first year and 4% in each later year) and a $6,000 signing bonus. The union said members would begin returning to work on November 16, 2025.
Your right to strike under federal law
Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects most private-sector employees who act together for better pay or working conditions, including by striking. According to the National Labor Relations Board, the protection depends on the type of strike:
| Type of strike | Can you be fired? | Can you be replaced? |
|---|---|---|
| Economic strike (over wages, benefits or conditions) | No | Yes, in some circumstances |
| Unfair labor practice strike (protesting unlawful employer conduct) | No | Not permanently; generally entitled to jobs back |
| Strike that breaks a no-strike clause | Possibly; the strike is generally unprotected | Yes |
Strikers who engage in serious misconduct, such as physically blocking people from entering or leaving a plant, may be refused reinstatement. If you made an unconditional offer to return and were unlawfully denied your job, the NLRB may order back pay. An unfair labor practice charge generally must be filed within six months.
Example (hypothetical): Tara joins a lawful strike over wages at a California manufacturing plant. The company hires temporary replacements. When the strike ends, she offers in writing to return without conditions and keeps a copy. That record matters if the company says no job is available.
California rules that apply during a strike
- Unemployment: Under Unemployment Insurance Code §1262, a worker who leaves work because of a trade dispute is generally ineligible for benefits while the dispute is in active progress at that workplace.
- Replacement ads: An employer recruiting workers while a strike, lockout or other labor disturbance exists must plainly state that fact in the advertisement and identify who is recruiting (Labor Code §973).
- Wage protections continue: Strikers keep their claims for wages already earned. If your employment ends, final pay rules apply. See our guide to final paycheck rules.
- Retaliation: Discrimination and retaliation laws still apply on the picket line and after you return. Retaliation complaints to the Labor Commissioner must be filed within one year. See retaliation claims in California.
Before you walk out
- Read your union contract for a no-strike clause and grievance deadlines.
- Follow your union’s strike rules and keep picketing peaceful.
- Keep records: strike notices, communications from management, and any discipline.
- Plan for lost pay; health coverage and benefits during a strike depend on your plan and contract.
- When the strike ends, make an unconditional offer to return in writing.
For union rights outside of strikes, see our post on the Stater Bros. boycott, and for another 2025 work stoppage, the Air Canada flight attendants’ strike.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a union to strike?
No. The NLRA also protects non-union workers who act together over pay or conditions, though walkouts without a union carry more practical risk.
Can my employer fire me for striking?
Generally no, if the strike is protected. An economic striker may be replaced in some circumstances, which is different from being fired.
Can I collect unemployment in California during a strike?
Generally not while the trade dispute is in active progress at your workplace.
Does the NLRA cover government workers?
The NLRA covers most private-sector employees. Public employees are covered by separate laws.
Talk to a California employment lawyer
Employees First Labor Law represents workers exclusively. If you were disciplined, fired or denied your job back after a strike or protest at work, we offer free virtual consultations. Contact us or call (310) 853-3461.
This article is general information about California law as of 2026, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
