June 4, 2007--- The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis flies to the Kennedy Space Center today for Friday’s planned liftoff. The arrival comes just days after union workers for United Space Alliance voted to strike after rejecting USA’s latest contract offer. The nearly six hundred members of the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers say the deal was inadequate, although USA says otherwise.

The union represents about 10% of the United Space Alliance workforce, which maintains NASA’s shuttle fleet. The "no" vote comes after glowing reports from NASA managers on the repairs, done by USA technicians, to damage on Atlantis’ external fuel tank. The spacecraft was out on the launch pad when a violent hail storm hit. Engineers spent weeks sanding down, and filling in, the divots in the tank’s foam insulation.

Picketers at the gates of KSC have greeted members of the press before, but that may not be the case for the USA strike, assuming it comes about. The strike vote calls for demonstrations this coming Sunday, long after Atlantis’ planned departure, and the retreat of TV news crews.