Morning Briefing Asia

Boeing’s Defense Union Set for First Strike in Almost 30 Years

Visitors outside the Boeing pavilion at the Paris Air Show in Paris, France, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. The 55th Paris Air Show runs 16-20 June at Le Bourget airport.Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

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By Dina Katgara and Samantha Stewart

August 3, 2025 at 5:44 PM EDT

Good morning. A Boeing union is poised to strike for the first time since 1996. Asian markets are racing to update their rules to join the stablecoin hype. And New Zealand puts a price tag on access to its most popular tourist sites. Listen to the day’s top stories.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, Boeing’s defense union is set to halt work at its St. Louis-area factories after members rejected a modified contract offer that would’ve raised wages by 20% and boosted retirement contributions. The move spells serious trouble for the planemaker, amplifying financial pressure already weighing on its defense and space division, which accounted for roughly 30% of total revenue in the second quarter.