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NEW YORK At the request of a federal mediator, Boeing Co and the union representing its 23,000 engineers suspended talks on new labor contracts for the rest of the year. The move came Wednesday, a day after the mediator joined the negotiations in Seattle. The two sides have been bargaining since April to replace contracts that expired October 6. A 60-day extension ran out November 25, giving the union the ability to strike. Union leaders have said they would not call a strike until January at the earliest. “At the request of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, negotiations between [...]

Boeing said Tuesday that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is requiring inspections of all 787 Dreamliners currently in service to confirm that fuel line connectors have been properly installed. The FAA requirement, due to be issued Wednesday, “makes mandatory inspections already recommended by Boeing,” the company said. FAA officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

N The union that represents Boeing Co’s engineers said Saturday it is trying to halt efforts by some of its members to call a one-day, unauthorized strike next week against the plane maker to protest the slow progress of labor talks. Union leaders have circulated a letter “asking members to ignore the call for a wildcat strike,” said Ray Goforth, executive director of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said in an email to Reuters. “We’ve also posted such messages on our Facebook page.” The response comes after union members apparently sent emails from fake accounts calling [...]

Boeing Co and the union that represents its 23,000 engineers tentatively agreed to resume labor talks on Tuesday, after their negotiations on a new contract ended abruptly on Thursday. But tension rose as the two sides sparred over efforts to engage a federal mediator to help them reach a new labor contract. Boeing said late on Friday that the union had declined its offer to attend meetings with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said it had contacted the mediator before Boeing did, and was waiting [...]

Boeing Co said on Thursday it proposed engaging a federal mediator in contract talks with the union that represents its engineers, citing significant differences on pay and benefits. “We hope the expertise of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service can help move the two sides toward a resolution,” Boeing said in a statement. Contracts with the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) union, which represents professional engineers and technical workers at the plane maker, expired in October. (Reporting by Karen Jacobs)

NEW YORK Boeing Co said on Thursday it settled on a “firm concept” for its new 737 MAX jet, and chose Honeywell International Inc and Rockwell Collins Inc to supply new systems for the new plane. The Chicago-based company also said it expected to see further increases in production rates for the single-aisle 737, its best-selling jet. Boeing said it has decided on a “firm concept,” finalizing some basic design parameters for the 737 MAX and expects it to use 13 percent less fuel, compared to the current 737s. The plane would include new LEAP-1B engines from CFM International, which [...]

NEW YORK Boeing Co said on Thursday it had locked down a firm basic design for its new 737 MAX jet, choosing suppliers for key components and moving the jet a step closer to production in 2015. Boeing gave Honeywell International Inc and Rockwell Collins Inc valuable new contracts to provide systems for the plane. Honeywell will supply an electronic air-bleed system, which controls cabin pressure de-icing, and Rockwell Collins will provide large-format panel displays for the flight deck. “It’s very material to us,” said Kent Statler, executive vice president and chief operating officer of commercial systems for Rockwell Collins. [...]

Boeing Co announced a major restructuring of its defense division on Wednesday that will cut 30 percent of management jobs from 2010 levels, close facilities in California and consolidate several business units to cut costs. The company told employees about the changes on Wednesday, in a memo obtained by Reuters and confirmed by Boeing. Boeing, the Pentagon’s second-largest supplier, said the changes were the latest step in an affordability drive that has already reduced the company’s costs by $ 2.2 billion since 2010, according to the memo. The measures come as U.S. weapons makers are under pressure to cut costs [...]

Boeing Co said Wednesday it will restructure its defense, space and security business and cut 30 percent of management jobs from 2010 levels as part of a cost-cutting drive. Boeing, the Pentagon’s second-largest supplier, said it also will close some facilities in California and consolidate several business units in an effort to trim $ 1.6 billion in costs by the end of 2015, on top of $ 2.2 billion in reductions achieved since 2010. “We are raising the bar higher because our market challenges and opportunities require it, and our customers’ needs demand it,” Dennis Muilenburg, chief executive of Boeing [...]

Boeing Co announced a major restructuring of its defense division on Wednesday that will cut 30 percent of management jobs from 2010 levels, close facilities in California and consolidate several business units to cut costs. The company told employees about the changes ahead of the planned announcement set for later Wednesday, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters. Boeing, the Pentagon’s second-largest supplier, said the changes were the latest step in an affordability drive that has already reduced the company’s costs by $ 2.2 billion since 2010, according to the document. (Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Alwyn Scott and Maureen Bavdek)