by\u00a0Tim Logan,<\/a>\u00a0St. Louis Post Dispatch Boeing Co. and the St. Louis Machinists union went back to the bargaining table this week, with an eye toward lowering costs on military planes and avoiding layoffs.<\/p>\n Negotiations started Monday between Boeing and District 837 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers on a contract extension that could pave the way for buyouts, instead of layoffs, on endangered fighter jet assembly lines. The union represents nearly 2,400 workers at Boeing, most of whom build F\/A-18 Super Hornets, F-15s and parts of the C-17 in north St. Louis County.<\/p>\n Those assembly lines are growing short.<\/p>\n The\u00a0C-17 is due to end production in late 201<\/a>5 and\u00a0the F\/A-18 line will close a year later<\/a>\u00a0unless Boeing can persuade Congress and the Pentagon to buy more. Boeing has already slowed F\/A-18 production from four per month to three, in order to extend the line through 2016. It is also touting the Super Hornet as a lower-cost alternative to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and wants to wring out more expenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a statement, Boeing said it hopes to make its St. Louis-built programs \u201cmore competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are pursuing opportunities that would go a long way toward determining the future of this facility,\u201d the company said. \u201cWe recognize that reducing our rates now and demonstrating to customers our commitment to doing so, would improve our chances of getting that work. That\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to accomplish in these negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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