More than 30,000 Boeing machinists walked off the job Sept. 13. At a local union office outside Seattle, they prepared for what may be a lengthy strike.

Boeing said Wednesday it would start furloughs of professional and white-collar staff as it seeks to conserve cash amid a labor strike that shuttered Seattle manufacturing plants -- while talks with a union stalled.

Boeing's CEO says it will start furloughing "a large number" of employees to conserve cash during the strike by union machinists that began last week​.