This story originally appeared on AirlineGeeks.com. Boeing has announced it has withdrawn its contract offer to striking machinists union workers as it considers "next steps." The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has been on strike for 27 days, demanding higher pay, an improved savings plan, and more affordable health insurance. Boeing COO Stephanie Pope stated in a message to employees on Tuesday that the strike in the Pacific Northwest has significantly impacted Boeing's business, its customers, and its communities. "We understand that the steps we’re taking to preserve cash affect you and your loved ones," Pope said. "We do not take these impacts lightly as we take actions and consider next steps." She added that Boeing's leadership team recently concluded a third round of bargaining with a federal mediator, which included two days of negotiations this week. "Our team bargained in good faith and made new and improved proposals to try to reach a compromise, including increases in take-home pay and retirement," Pope stated. "Unfortunately, the union did not seriously consider our proposals. Instead, the union made non-negotiable demands far in excess of what can be accepted if we are to remain competitive as a business. Given that position, further negotiations do not make sense at this point and our offer has been withdrawn. This is a disappointing outcome and not one we wanted. We remain commit