The tussle for better wages and conditions at Boeing is about to heat up with the aerospace giant set to enter the ring of negotiations with Seattle-area machinists next month. Scheduled for a March 8 kickoff, the contract talks have been delayed following a January incident involving a 737 MAX 9 that endured an in-flight cabin blowout, a Reuters report reveals.

The union, known as District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), represents some 31,000 workers in the Puget Sound vicinity, that are rolling up their sleeves to fight for a 40% wage increase over the next three or four years. Alongside such hefty wage demands, they are also demanding the return of pensions that were ditched in a 2014 deal. IAM District 751 President Jon Holden, in an interview with Reuters, bared the group's strategies, "That's the commitment our members have earned."

However, snags in the Boeing production line could exacerbate if the negotiations hitch. The company is already coping with recent manufacturing flaws and the shadow of its past failures with the 737 Max line. With a strong labor movement at their backs and a dearth of skilled aerospace workers at the fore, union members appear poised for a standoff, noted Bloomberg Law. Holden warned, "We don’t take going on strike lightly. But we’re willing to do it."

The negotiation stakes are high while Boeing grapples with a multitude of production challenges. Boeing's Chief Financial Officer Brian West suggested during an investors conference the company is expecting to reach a deal, stating, "We fully expect to get to a point that we have an agreement and work constructively with our partners in the IAM," as reported by U.S. News & World Report. Yet, the concrete specifics of that deal remain up in the jet-stream as both sides brace for complex discussions in excess of wages and workplace conditions.

This concerted push for a better deal comes at a time when the aerospace juggernaut is still soothing the airs after the global grounding of the 737 Max fleet. As Boeing works to restore its reputation and reinforce safety and quality in its manufacturing processes, the employees on its factory floors look to reap their share of the pie, betting that the company cannot afford any further turbulence amidst a critical rebuilding phase.