ST. LOUIS — Striking Boeing workers will weigh in later this week on an unusual effort to end the seven-week walkout at the company's St. Louis-area facilities.

Union officials said Tuesday the union put forward its own proposal to workers, and would hold a vote Friday. If members approve it, a pre-ratified contract will go to Boeing leadership for their consideration.

But Boeing leaders on Tuesday were quick to dismiss the effort.

“This publicity stunt is a waste of time that will not help the parties reach a deal," Dan Gillian, vice president of air dominance for Boeing, said in a statement.

"They are choosing an approach that will prolong the strike for our teammates, who have already lost an average of $15,000 in income," Gillian said.

The union, meanwhile, said it was taking "bold, creative steps" to end the strike after the company "refused to improve on" its third contract offer, which workers voted down last week.

Jody Bennett, resident general vice president for International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said in a statement Tuesday that the latest offer was made in the absence of Boeing's "willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations."

Bennett said Boeing has said it needs assurances on what union members will accept.

"And that's exactly what our pre-ratification strike settlement vote will help determine," Bennett said.

The union's proposal this week and the Boeing offer rejected last week contain key differences.

The company proposed a $4,000 ratification bonus while the union has proposed a $10,000 ratification bonus.

The union notes that unionized Boeing workers in Washington state received a $12,000 ratification bonus last year, and that non-unionized Boeing workers in South Carolina also received $12,000 bonuses.

Another difference is that the union has proposed a four-year contract while Boeing has proposed a five-year contract.

The union plan would also increase wages for workers at the top of the pay scale for all four years of the contract. Senior employees were previously offered lump sum payments instead of increases to their pay rate for two years of the contract.

The union's plan also proposes more generous 401(k) benefits than what the company has previously offered.

Gillian said Tuesday the union was creating "false expectations" by holding a vote on "an offer we never made, including terms we’ve expressly told them we won’t accept."

But Sam Cicinelli, IAM Midwest general vice president, said members' "solidarity and determination are the reason we’ve been able to put forward this creative path to settlement."

Cicinelli said in a statement Boeing needs to recognize "this workforce is the backbone of its defense operations, and the community is standing with these families until they achieve a fair contract.”

The local machinists and aerospace workers' union represents roughly 3,200 local Boeing workers.

St. Louis-area Boeing workers build aircraft such as the F/A-18 fighter jet and MQ-25 refueling drone, and are expected to play a major role in building the new F-47 fighter jet.

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