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NEW YORK - BOEING Co's engineers and production line workers are taking an aggressive stand ahead of contract talks with the plane maker in coming weeks, leaving open the possibility of a strike as the company struggles to get its new 787 Dreamliner into the air.
Leaders of the two main unions, which represent about 60,000 Boeing employees - or nearly 40 per cent of the company's worldwide work force - said Boeing is in no position to push hard for concessions as it tries to make up for errors in outsourcing work on the 787.
'This is not the time for Boeing to take a hard stance in negotiations,' said Mr David White, assistant director of strategic resources at the International Association of Machinists (IAM), Boeing's main blue-collar union, in a conference call with media and Wall Street analysts.
'The company now is faced with continuing 787 programme problems and the company cannot afford disruptions by its skilled work force.'
Boeing's 787 is at least 14 months behind schedule after a string of production problems, partly caused by its far-flung supplier network, and the company risks losing customers - and billions of dollars - if it suffers more delivery delays.
Negotiations between Boeing and the IAM - which represents about 40,000 workers chiefly around Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Wichita, Kansas - are set to ramp up on Aug 21, with a vote among IAM members on contract terms scheduled for Sept 3. -- REUTERS
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