ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Boeing Co. defense workers in St. Louis overwhelmingly have agreed to authorize their union to strike if pending labor talks falter.þþOfficials with the International Association of Machinists' District 837 cautioned that Saturday's strike authorization -- endorsed by 98 percent of the roughly 1,250 union members who voted -- was procedural and did not signal an imminent work stoppage.þþThe union's three-year contract expires May 23. Formal negotiations begin April 26, with Saturday's vote labeled by the union as a procedural matter -- and strategic as a potential bargaining chip for the machinists.þþ``I am hopeful we will come up with a contract proposal that meets the needs of the membership,'' said Tom Pinski, communicator for District 837, which represents 2,811 Boeing workers here.þþIn a statement, Chicago-based Boeing said it is ``working with the machinists union to understand the issues involved, and we are negotiating in a collaborative way.''þþBoeing's production in St. Louis includes the F/A-18 Super Hornet attack plane and the F-15 Eagle fighter.þþþþ
Source: NY Times
