Thousands of members of a union representing Boeing defense industry workers in the US states of Missouri and Illinois went on strike Monday after rejecting a contract proposal.It came hours after the union said in a statement that members at Boeing facilities in Missouri and Illinois had voted to reject a modified four-year labor agreement with Boeing.

Several thousand workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where Boeing develops military aircraft and weapons are on strike early.

Boeing is being hit with its second strike in less than a year after 3,200 hourly workers walked off their jobs building military aircraft.