Boeing engineers union likely to back mediation in stalled talks

The union that represents Boeing Co engineers is likely to agree to mediated talks in a bid to resolve the standoff with the planemaker, the executive director of the union said on Friday.

On Thursday, Boeing asked for U.S. mediators to help resolve talks with the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) union, which represents its 23,000 engineers, saying the sides were far apart on pay and benefits.

That move halted labor discussions around midday Thursday in Seattle, and no further meetings were scheduled, the two sides said. Union contracts with Boeing expired Sunday.

"We will almost certainly agree to some type of mediation, but we find the company's position confusing," Ray Goforth, SPEEA executive director, said in an email to Reuters.

Goforth said Chicago-based Boeing had not responded to many union proposals and that a lot work was left to do.

"We view this action on their part as a stunt to distract people from the proposed pay and benefit cuts," Goforth added.

The union has balked at a Boeing contract that it says would cut the growth rate of compensation of professional and technical employees. Boeing says its latest offer is much improved over its initial proposal and reflects a tough competitive environment.

Shares of Boeing were up 0.6 percent at $74.56 in early trading.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott in New York and Karen Jacobs in Atlanta; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)