SPEEA members OK change to organize outside Boeing, Spirit

The following is from the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001:

TUKWILA (Oct. 27, 2022) — Recognizing the importance of opening SPEEA to professionals outside The Boeing Company and Spirit AeroSystems, union members overwhelmingly approved a Constitutional Referendum to ease that process.

While needing 60% of the members to vote “ACCEPT,” the final tally showed 2,210 “Accept” vote and 698 “Reject” for a final approval from 76% of the voting members.

“Thanks to the efforts of the SPEEA Expansion Team, Tellers and unanimous support from our Councils and committees we are able to make this needed update to our Constitution,” said Executive Director Ray Goforth.

Passage means the elected SPEEA Council now has the authority to approve organizing campaigns for employees outside Boeing or Spirit. No other votes or aspects of organizing change. No longer is a costly and time-consuming all-member vote required to bring new professionals who need and want the protections of a labor union into SPEEA. The SPEEA Council will learn about and debate the issues and have the authority to approve each organizing campaign.

The referendum had broad support from union leaders. The Executive Board, all three union Councils and every SPEEA, Northwest and Midwest committee approved motions of support. IFPTE President Matt Biggs and Former President Paul Shearon voiced strong support for the referendum.

“This is very good news,” said Biggs. “The real work of bringing a union to more aerospace workers now begins.”

Ballots were mailed to all members in good standing on Oct. 5. Voting closed at noon, Oct. 26, with SPEEA Tellers in the Midwest and Northwest counting and certifying the results.

The Constitutional change takes effect immediately.

SPEEA, the largest white collar union in the U.S. aerospace industry, fosters national unity among engineers, scientists, pilots, information technology professionals, and technical employees in the aerospace community to improve their professional and personal lives through collective bargaining. Through its unified strength, SPEEA creates greater value, respect and reward for both its individual members and the companies where they are employed.