Backed by the power of the Obama administration National Labor Relations Board, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace union is set to strike against Boeing. The union contract expires Saturday. The new offer from Boeing slashed salary and other benefits thanks to the down economy. “It’s going to take movement from both sides,” said Boeing spokesman Doug Alder. “And we made a big move.” The union would instead prefer to hold up the company. “We’re closer to calling a strike authorization,” said SPEEA executive director Ray Goforth. If the unions strike, Boeing jet production will stop dead.

In the past, Boeing has attempted to open new factories in right to work states rather than heavily unionized states. And the NLRB has prosecuted them for it. Eventually the NLRB was forced to drop its case, but not before preventing Boeing from building for six months.