Boeing, union leaders meet

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WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Boeing executives and leaders of unionized engineers are meeting amid concerns over the future of a company manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kan.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace says its members at the Wichita facility "worked diligently" to help secure KC-767 tanker work for the site during competition for the $35 billion contract.

The company, however, recently announced that the future of the facility is being evaluated.

"Boeing consistently said it would bring jobs to Wichita if it won the contract," said SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth. "At this time of congressional scrutiny of defense budgets, it would be a mistake to materially alter the tanker program they sold to the customer."

Boeing had planned to conduct final modification on the aircraft at its Wichita plant after the planes were assembled in Everett, Wash.

Work on B-52 modifications, maintaining Air Force One and the 737 Wedgetail program have been conducted at the plant in the past.

The meeting between union and company leaders in Wichita is scheduled for Thursday.