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Union hopes rally will pressure Boeing ( BA ) to raise wage offer

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More than 30,000 Boeing ( BA ) workers on strike since Sept 13

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Boeing ( BA ) cutting 10% of workforce to help avoid debt

downgrade

By Joe Brock

SEATTLE, Oct 15 - Boeing ( BA ) factory workers held a

large rally in Seattle on Tuesday to demand a better wage deal,

mounting pressure on new CEO Kelly Ortberg to end a bitter

strike that has plunged the planemaker further into financial

crisis.

Hundreds of striking workers packed the main hall at union

headquarters chanting 'Pension! Pension! Pension!' and 'One day

longer, one day stronger!'

Outside, factory workers told Reuters that the

recent 17,000 job cuts

announced by the company wouldn't deter them from

continuing to fight for higher wages and an improved pension.

Around 33,000 unionized West Coast workers, most in Washington

state, have been on strike since Sept. 13, demanding a 40% wage

increase spread over four years and halting production of

Boeing's ( BA ) best-selling 737 MAX and its 767 and 777 widebodies.

"We want Boeing ( BA ) management to know that we're strong and

united, and their scare tactics aren't going to work," said

Matthew Wright, a 52-year-old electrician who works on the 767

jet. "We're not afraid of them."

The show of force comes as Boeing ( BA ) moves to give itself

financial breathing space on Wall Street. It announced a window

for up to $25 billion in stock and debt offerings over the next

three years on Tuesday, as well as a $10 billion credit

agreement. Boeing ( BA ) shares were up 2% in late afternoon trading.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace

Workers and Boeing ( BA ) leadership are locked in a paralyzing blame

game over the strike, with both sides filing charges accusing

the other of unfair labor practices during negotiations.

Boeing ( BA ) last week withdrew its latest offer, which included a

30% wage increase over four years, after talks also attended by

federal mediators broke down.

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su met with Boeing ( BA ) and the IAM

in Seattle on Monday in a bid to break the deadlock, in her

first in-person intervention.

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal gave a rousing speech at

the rally on Tuesday, addressing the cheering crowd and slamming

Boeing ( BA ) for prioritizing executive bonuses and share buybacks

over ordinary workers' pay. The legislator, whose district

includes most of Seattle, called on Ortberg to end the strike.

"He has an opportunity to turn this around and to actually

give you the contract that you deserve, so that we can get back

to building quality planes, so that you can get back to doing

your jobs, so that the United States of America can continue to

have the most sophisticated, quality company in the Boeing ( BA )

company that it has ever had," she said.

"Let's make Seattle Boeing town again!"

'NO PENSION, NO WRENCHING'

IAM members have been holding smaller picket lines in front of

Boeing ( BA ) sites throughout the strike. In Seattle - where Boeing ( BA ) is

among the top employers along with Microsoft ( MSFT ) and Amazon