SEATTLE (AP) — A top national negotiator for the Machinists union says Washington state union members should get a chance to decide on a Boeing contract offer that would keep much of the work on a new 777X jet in the Puget Sound region. Local union leaders said earlier the price Boeing demanded was too high.

Rich Michalski told The Seattle Times late Thursday that, in his words, "We really need to hear from our members."

Tom Wroblewski (Rohb-LESS-kee) leads local Machinists District 751. He said earlier Thursday that Boeing's offer was contingent on union leadership recommending acceptance. He said the senior leadership team could not recommend acceptance since the new offer was "mostly unchanged" from an offer area machinists rejected last month. A spokesman for local Machinist leaders says they're trying to reach Michalski.

Boeing spokesman Doug Alder says the offer has not been withdrawn and it's up to the union to put it to a vote or not.

Boeing says it has received proposals from 22 states eager for the 777X jobs.

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