Boeing's (BA) "best and final contract offer" will not be put to a vote by its largest union, while Textron Aviation workers begin strike. Read more.

Boeing Co. backed down from a Friday night deadline for striking workers to approve its latest contract offer after union leaders refused to schedule a vote.

Workers have criticized Boeing’s approach, with many accusing the company of bypassing union leadership by publicizing the offer directly to employees.

Boeing says workers have until midnight Friday to ratify the deal, but union negotiators say they will not hold a vote.

Boeing substantially raised its contract offer to the Machinists union Monday in an effort to end the strike that threatens to damage the company.

Two weeks after Boeing Co. tried and failed to end a strike with the brash move of a direct offer to workers, the planemaker and its largest union are taking another stab at a more conventional pattern of consultation and shuttle diplomacy to end the stalemate.

After two weeks of a stalemate between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the two parties are now headed back to the negotiation table to discuss wage options,