Boeing says it is ready to negotiate new agreement after workers vote to strike

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Boeing said late on Thursday it was ready to get back to negotiations to reach a new agreement after its U.S. West Coast factory workers voted down a tentative contract deal and said they would go on strike.

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) members voted 96% in favor of striking and 94.6% to reject the agreement.

“The message was clear that the tentative agreement we reached with IAM leadership was not acceptable to the members,” Boeing said in a statement. “We remain committed to resetting our relationship with our employees and the union, and we are ready to get back to the table to reach a new agreement.”

(Reporting by Joe Brock in Seattle; Writing by Jamie Freed. Editing by Gerry Doyle)