By early this morning, a few dozen had gathered outside the company's offices north of the airport, marching with picket signs.

Boeing (NYSE:BA) is confronting a fresh labor disruption as about 3,200 unionized workers at its defense facilities in the St. Louis region walked off the job after rejecting the company's latest contract offer.

Several thousand workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where Boeing develops military aircraft and weapons went on strike early Monday, potentially complicating the aerospace company's progress in regaining its financial footing.