Boeing Engineers Closer To Strike

Engineers at Boeing have moved closer to a strike after the US aircraft manufacturer's latest offer on two contracts that expire on Sunday.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said the new offer still represents a cut in salary and other benefits for the 23,000 members of its two bargaining units, professional and technical workers.

"We're closer to calling a strike authorisation," SPEEA executive director Ray Goforth said. "We don't have a date or plans" to call a vote, he added.

Boeing said the offer is much improved over its opening proposal, and reflects the tough competition with Airbus and the needs of price-sensitive airlines.

"It's going to take movement from both sides" to get a deal, said Doug Alder, a Boeing spokesman. "And we made a big move."

The union's current contracts expired on October 6 and a 60-day extension runs out Sunday, cancelling the no-strike clause that had prevented the union from staging a walkout.

However, the two sides met on Wednesday in Seattle, where most of SPEEA's members are based, and plan to meet again next week.

"As long as we're continuing to negotiate, work goes on as normal," Alder said.

While a strike was now possible, he noted that the union has not taken a strike-authorisation vote.

Boeing churns out 52 jets a month, worth nearly USD$8 billion at list prices, and is stepping up its pace of production to work through a backlog of more than 4,000 orders.

The professional engineers and technical workers could stop production if they walked out.

REUTERS