Union and Boeing try to agree

Boeing is negotiating with the machinists union who make up the core of its workforce on both military and commercial aircraft. Today they sent their best and last offer. This includes the employees who will build the tanker for the US Air Force. So in the middle of trying to write and cost a proposal to the Air Force for a program that is seen as key to the company holding onto a market they are trying to prevent work stoppages. Strikes are the kind of thing that can kill a program’s schedule.

See Excite News for more.

Update: The union leaders have recommended rejection of the Boeing proposal and striking on 4 September. While this will have a large effect on civil aircraft production it won’t help Boeing get ready for the KC-45 if they win again.

See Bloomberg.com for a story on this mess.