SEATTLE (AP) Leaders in the International Association of Machinists publicly differed Friday on whether to bring Boeing's latest contract offer to a vote, exposing tensions within the union over how to handle the high-stakes negotiations.
National union spokesman Frank Larkin said Friday that officials were exploring the idea after hundreds of members demanded an opportunity to vote on the contract to secure work on the 777X airplane. Larkin said members have always had the final say and that they have every right to vote on the terms of the offer.
But local union officials said Friday they don't see any point in bringing it to a vote because it's too similar to a contract the union rejected a month ago.
"So, until Boeing changes its conditions, we don't have an offer to vote on," said District 751 President Tom Wroblewski in a statement.
A latest round of contract talks collapsed Thursday after local officials with the Machinists said they could not recommend Boeing's latest proposal to members. Local Machinists spokesman Bryan Corliss says Boeing has withdrawn the contract offer.