SPEEA engineering, technical units at Boeing OK 6-year contract

The following is from SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001:

SEATTLE (Feb. 18, 2016) — Engineers and technical workers have accepted new six-year contract agreements with The Boeing Company that ensure continued market-leading salaries, retirement benefit growth, and a choice of comprehensive medical plans, including a no-premium plan.

Votes tallied Wednesday at the headquarters of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, show engineers in the Professional unit voted 6,085 (71.1%) to Accept and 2,460 (28.7%) to Reject. The count for the Technical workers unit was 2,825 (73.2%) to Accept and 1,030 (26.7%) to Reject.

“These agreements were not easy but each grew from a strong desire on both sides to find common ground and negotiate contracts that work for SPEEA members and Boeing,” said SPEEA President Ryan Rule. “It was a unique opportunity that allowed these early contract talks. We’re glad it worked.”

While the majority of workers are at Boeing facilities in the Puget Sound region, the contracts also cover workers in Oregon, Utah, California and Florida.

Negotiated and recommended by the union’s Executive Board and bargaining unit councils, the agreements take effect retroactive to Feb. 11 and are in effect through Oct. 6, 2022. A processing error resulted in the union reissuing ballots and delaying the vote count one week from the original timeline.

“These negotiations were possible because SPEEA and Boeing decided to work together and reach agreement where possible,” said SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth. “We still have areas of disagreement, but we’re hopeful this process is a template for working differences in the future.”

SPEEA and Boeing were scheduled to negotiate new contracts next fall, prior to the previous contracts’ Oct. 6 expiration dates. However, with both sides receptive to avoiding the sometimes confrontational atmosphere of contract talks, the SPEEA member-elected Executive Board began formal talks with Boeing in January. If members in either bargaining unit rejected their contract, SPEEA would have reverted to the standard timeline with negotiations starting in late summer. The union had continued that process by nominating and electing negotiation teams.

A local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), SPEEA represents more than 23,000 engineers, technical workers, pilots and other aerospace professionals in Washington, Kansas, Oregon, Utah, California and Florida. Learn more at SPEEA.org.