Boeing machinists to strike as contract talks fail

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Boeing Co's 27,000-strong machinists' union declared it will strike at midnight on Friday, as the plane maker failed to improve its contract offer after two days of emergency talks.

A majority of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers' (IAM) members rejected Boeing's "best and final" contract offer on Wednesday and voted overwhelmingly to strike, but postponed its walk-out for 48 hours to give negotiators more time to strike a deal.

"Despite meeting late into the night and throughout the day, continued contract talks with the Boeing Company did not address our issues," Tom Wroblewski, the IAM's Seattle-area president said in a letter to members. "The strike is on."

(Reporting by Daisuke Wakabayashi and Bill Rigby in New York; Editing by Gary Hill)