ARLINGTON, Virginia May 13 (Reuters) - Union leaders and

U.S. lawmakers on Monday criticized Boeing's ( BA ) lockout of its

unionized firefighters and urged the planemaker to reach a

contract deal.

Earlier this month, Boeing ( BA ) locked out about 130

members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local

I-66 who rejected two contract offers - a move that last week

drew the concern of President Joe Biden.

At a rally outside Boeing ( BA ) headquarters in Arlington,

Virginia, IAFF President Edward Kelly, AFL-CIO President Liz

Shuler and Representative Val Hoyle urged Boeing ( BA ) to make a deal.

"We want to get a deal. We just want to be treated fairly,"

Kelly told Reuters, who said Boeing ( BA ) wants firefighters to work

nearly 20 years before reaching top pay but added he is hopeful

talks will soon resume.

"If they can break us and set a pattern, that will then

translate into the contract of the larger unions. That's where

the real savings are."

Hoyle, a Democrat, said she hopes Boeing ( BA ) will come to the

table and "do the right thing. They prioritize safety and they

invest in their workforce."

On social media, Democratic Senator John Fetterman said

Monday "Boeing ( BA ) should focus on keeping critical safety workers

and paying dignified wages, particularly given their recent

safety and quality control issues where these safety workers may

be needed."

Boeing ( BA ), which did not immediately comment Monday, said last

week its contract offer to increase firefighters' average

take-home pay from $91,000 to $112,000 in the first year remains

on the table.

"We remain committed to securing an agreement," Boeing ( BA ) said.

"The union should allow our employees to vote (on) our offer,

which was presented before the lockout."

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace

Workers (IAM) is separately negotiating a new contract on behalf

of over 30,000 workers who build Boeing's ( BA ) 737 MAX jets, at a

time when the planemaker needs to ramp up production.

Shuler said Boeing ( BA ) "is looking to establish a pattern and if

we can start here with the firefighters it might trickle over to

a bigger impact with another union."

She added having skilled firefighters was crucial for

Boeing ( BA ). "What makes the company safer ultimately makes the

company more trusted and more profitable," Shuler said.

Boeing 737 MAX jetliner production has fallen sharply as

U.S. regulators step up factory checks following a blowout on a

new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January, blamed on an

assembly error.