In a significant move amid ongoing labor disputes, Boeing has initiated furloughs for tens of thousands of workers following a machinist strike that erupted after contract negotiations failed. More than 30,000 workers have walked off the job after overwhelmingly rejecting a proposed contract that included a 25% pay increase over four years. As the strike continues, Boeing is implementing a hiring freeze and has suspended executive pay raises and other expenditures. The aerospace giant is anticipating substantial financial losses, with estimates suggesting the strike could cost as much as $3.5 billion. Negotiations between Boeing and the machinists union are set to resume, but tensions remain high as workers express their dissatisfaction with the company's commitment to fair negotiations.