ST. LOUIS — Striking St. Louis-area Boeing workers remained at odds with management on Thursday as big names visited the picket line.

Brian Bryant, president of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, traveled to St. Louis to meet with striking workers Thursday.

"We as the union are prepared and ready to go back to negotiate. And the ball is in Boeing's court," Bryant told the Post-Dispatch.

The workers also received a visit from St. Louis' congressman, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, a Democrat.

Bryant said Bell and Nikki Budzinski, D-Illinois, are both urging Boeing to return to the negotiating table.

Bryant wrote to members of Missouri's congressional delegation last week urging the elected officials to intervene in the machinists' strike.

Bryant said he had heard back from Bell and Budzinski, but not from either of Missouri's senators, Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, both Republicans.

He said he also hasn't heard from the Trump administration after also sending a letter to President Trump.

The IAM District 837 represents about 3,200 Boeing workers in the St. Louis area. Members have rejected two contract offers from Boeing, most recently on Aug. 3.

The contract offers included a 20% general wage increase over four years, though employees at the top of the pay scale would receive lump sum payments instead of raises for part of the contract.

Workers also want a faster path to the top of the pay scale and are pressing for better 401(k) benefits.

Boeing had offered a $5,000 ratification bonus to workers if they approved the contract offer by Aug. 3. With the contract unapproved, the bonus is now off the table.

"The move that the company did, taking away the signing bonus, just really totally infuriated our members, and they feel really disrespected by that," Bryant said.

Boeing, noting "increased activity" Thursday on the picket line, issued a statement calling Boeing's current offer strong and noting that union leadership had hailed the company's original offer as a "landmark" agreement.

Bryant said Thursday afternoon no formal talks with Boeing were scheduled, but reported informal talks did take place last week.

"They didn't really materialize," he said.

The St. Louis workers make defense aircraft for Boeing at sites in St. Louis County, St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois. The products made there include the F-15 and F-18 fighter jets, T-7A trainer and MQ-25 refueling drone.

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