The planemaker finds itself in an increasingly untenable situation with its finances so dire that it can ill afford a drawn-out paralysis.

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 will furlough tens of thousands of its executives, managers and others as more than 30,000 machinists intend to go on strike Friday in Seattle and Oregon.