AEROSPACE

McDonnell Douglas Machinists Authorize Strike: The aerospace company’s largest union wants changes in wages and work rules excluded from a new contract, said Mike Schoen, an official with District Lodge 837 of the Machinists union, representing 7,500 members. He said the current contract runs out at midnight May 16 but that the membership is not authorized to strike until seven days later. The contract changes include requiring union members to work more hours before getting overtime and possibly working schedules other than Monday through Friday. McDonnell also wants to end a 10-cent hourly wage increase that kicks in every 10 weeks until a member reaches top scale of about $18 an hour.