Boeing is in its third week of strike as the union says talks have broken down

In an update posted on social media platforms X and Facebook, a regional district of the International Association of Machinists and Aeronautical Workers said late Friday that Boeing “will not be substantially involved” in key issues important to members — such as higher wages – and I’m not giving up on calls to restore a defined benefit pension that was scrapped 10 years ago.

No further bargaining dates have been scheduled after Friday’s session led by federal mediators, IAM District 751 said. The union added that it remained “open to discussions with the company, either directly or through mediation.”

In a statement sent to The Associated Press on Saturday, Boeing said it was “ready to meet at any time,” committed to negotiating in good faith and wanted to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

The aerospace giant issued what it called its “best and final” offer on Monday. The proposal included pay increases of 30 percent over four years — up from 25 percent in a deal that union members overwhelmingly rejected when they voted to strike on Sept. 12, but still well below the union’s original demand of 40% over three years.

Boeing angered union leaders by announcing the revised offer to its striking workers through the media and setting a Friday night deadline for ratification. In light of the rejection, Boeing backed down and gave the union more time. However, many employees argued that the latest offer was not good enough.

The strike by nearly 33,000 machinists is now in its third week, and negotiations were also blocked earlier in the walkout that halted production of Boeing’s best-selling planes. The strike won’t disrupt airline flights anytime soon, but it has put more pressure on a company that has already faced a number of financial, legal and mechanical challenges this year.