LOS ANGELES, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of machinists who assemble jetliners in Boeing's factories in Seattle Wednesday voted to strike after rejecting the company's new contract offer, but agreed to delay their actions for two days after the intervention of government officials.

    About 25,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted overwhelmingly by 87 percent to go on strike. The union's leadership, however, decided to wait another 48 hours to act at the request of Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and a federal mediator.

    Boeing has agreed to return to the bargaining table after union members voted by 80 percent to reject its contract offer in another vote, union officials said.

    The company now has 48 hours to reach a deal. Boeing earlier said it would it would not change the offer even if there would be a strike.

    Boeing's contract offer would raise wages by an average of 11 percent over three years and boost the pension multiplier by 14 percent for the workers. But the union chose to stick to their demand for a general wage increase of at 13 percent and better pension benefits.

    A strike by the machinists could essentially shut down Boeing's assembly factories in Seattle and other areas, thus resulting in further delays in deliveries of the company's new 787 Dreamliner jet.