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Union, Boeing ( BA ) accuse each other of not being serious about

ending strike

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Strike began after union's rejection of Boeing's ( BA ) 20% wage

increase offer

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Strike at Boeing Defense slowing some production

By Dan Catchpole

Sept 9 (Reuters) - Boeing Defense and the

machinists' union remained at loggerheads after meeting on

Tuesday in an effort to resume contract negotiations as a strike

by about 3,200 St. Louis-area workers that assemble military

aircraft enters its sixth week.

Talks that included a federal mediator ended after a few

hours, with both the company and the International Association

of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) saying the other side

was unwilling to move forward.

"It became clear to the bargaining committee that the

company wasn't serious about finding a way to end the strike,"

IAM officials said in a message to members of District 837.

Boeing Defense Vice President Dan Gillian said in a

statement that "the union continues to ask for more of

everything, which we've repeatedly told them is not

constructive."

The strike began on August 4 after District 837 members

rejected Boeing's ( BA ) latest four-year contract offer that included

a 20% general wage increase.

The company said its "focus is on executing our strike

contingency plan" to maintain production at its St. Louis-area

facilities. The plan includes hiring permanent replacement

workers, Boeing ( BA ) said this month.

Gillian previously acknowledged that the strike has slowed

work on some programs, which include its F-15, F/A-18, a

military trainer jet, the MQ-25 military drone and munitions,

among other work.

Boeing's ( BA ) defense division has invested billions of

dollars to expand manufacturing facilities and engineering

capabilities in the St. Louis area for the new U.S. Air Force

fighter jet, the F-47A. It won the contract this year.

The company is also competing to win the contract for the

U.S. Navy's new fighter program, the F/A-XX.