Boeing, machinist union agree to resume talks

International Association of Machinists (IAM) national aerospace coordinator Mark Blondin speaks to machinists at machinists union headquarters in Seattle, Washington September 3, 2008.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) and its commercial plane workers' union have agreed to resume contract talks in an effort to end a month-long strike which has idled the company's massive Seattle-area plants.

The 27,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) walked out on September 6, after rejecting Boeing's three-year contract offer. The two sides are still at odds over pay and benefits and Boeing's use of outside suppliers.

"Senior officials from the company and the IAM recently met to review issues," Boeing's lead negotiator Doug Kight said in a statement on the company's website. "We have kept lines of communications open and have agreed to pursue additional talks through the federal mediator."

No firm dates have been set for the resumption of talks, which broke down before the beginning of the strike.

The IAM said its lead negotiators, Tom Wroblewski and Mark Blondin, had met with Boeing commercial plane unit chief executive Scott Carson and his negotiators this week.

"At that meeting, it was agreed to return to the bargaining table," the union said in a statement on its website. "We are working out the details of the return to the table with the federal mediator."

Wall Street analysts have been predicting a two- or even three-month strike at Boeing, estimating that the company will lose about $100 million revenue per day while its production lines are closed.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)