(Reuters) – Boeing rose 2% before the bell on Friday after the U.S. planemaker bumped its wage hike offer to about 33,000 striking workers, its latest effort to end a damaging strike after two earlier contract offers were rebuffed by employees.
The workers will on Monday vote on the proposal that boosts wage hike to 38% over four years from a 35% hike earlier and offers an improved signing bonus, but does not meet their key demand of a return to a defined-benefit pension.
It is not clear which way workers will vote as the new proposal has evoked mixed reactions. The labor action has prompted Wall Street analysts to scan Reddit posts and social media reactions to gauge workers’ sentiment after employees defied predictions on previous contracts votes.
The seven-week strike has halted production of Boeing’s best-selling 737 MAX jets as well as its 767 and 777 widebodies, leading to a $6 billion loss for the planemaker in the third quarter and complicating CEO Kelly Ortberg’s turnaround efforts.
The planemaker recently moved to strengthen its balance sheet through a stock offering of up to $24.3 billion amid a threat of a ratings downgrade. Boeing shares have fallen 8.3% since the strike began in September.
(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
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