Talks between Boeing , its union coming down to wire

Dallas: Boeing and its largest union are entering the last week of contract negotiations before a threatened strike by more than 30,000 workers who build the planes that carry millions of airline passengers every year.

A walkout would add to the headwinds facing Boeing, which is hurtling toward a sixth straight money-losing year and just hired a new CEO to turn things around. The regional branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says the two sides are far apart on wages, health care and job security. The union of started out seeking pay raises of more than 40 per cent over three years, although “that’s probably not where we’re going to end up,” IAM District 751 President Jon Holden said last week. The union has scheduled a two-part election for Thursday, with voting at more than a half-dozen locations in Washington state and one in Southern California. Workers will vote on Boeing’s last contract offer and whether to authorize a strike if the offer is rejected. A walkout could begin by Friday morning. A straw vote in July to gauge support for a strike passed with 99.99 per cent support, according to the union. “What we are asking for is reasonable,” Holden said in an interview.