boeingfactory.jpg
With strike authorization ballots arriving in the mail this week, Conner is hoping to avoid a strike when he needs all of his SPEEA members on the job. (AP Photo/File)

Boeing takes SPEEA union appeal directly to workers

BY Chris Sullivan  on February 8, 2013 @ 5:28 am (Updated: 8:30 am - 2/8/13 )

In a last ditch attempt to avert a strike by his engineers and technical workers, Boeing commercial airplanes CEO Ray Conner sent a letter to all SPEEA members asking them to accept the company's offer.

With strike authorization ballots arriving in the mail this week, Conner is hoping to avoid a strike when he needs all of his SPEEA members on the job. He wrote it's time to come together as a team to work for the company's future.

"Nobody wins in a strike," he wrote. "While hurting Boeing and our employees, it would also impact our customers who've put their trust in Boeing's people and products. It's important that we protect our competitiveness in the long-run, even if that means some short-term pain."

SPEEA executive director Ray Goforth said the letter was not well received by his members. "Boeing corporate is trying to take advantage of that by telling people the company's in trouble, just accept this terrible offer and help us get these 787's back in the air," he said.

Gorforth said it's strange that Conner would be getting involved at this late date. "He's played no role in these negotiations," Gorforth said. "It might have been helpful if he'd become involved in the negotiations for the past year."

The engineers and technical workers represented by SPEEA are voting on the company's contract offer and whether to authorize a strike right now. The results of the votes will be released Feb. 19. SPEEA has only been on strike twice before, and only once for any significant amount of time.

The contract offer includes wage-pool increases of five percent, no increases in the workers' contribution to their health care costs and no changes to the current pension system for existing employees. The contract does require that new hires enter into a 401K based system, just like every other employee Boeing has hired since 2009.

It's that pension change for new hires that SPEEA calls a "poison pill" in the contract.

Find the latest Boeing news:
FAA allows Boeing 787 Dreamliner test flights
NTSB says cause of Boeing Dreamliner fire in Boston still unknown

Read CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Ray Conner's full email below

It's time to come together

I believe we've made an offer that recognizes the tremendous contributions and skills that our engineers and technical employees bring to BCA, BDS, EO&T and SSG. The SPEEA negotiating team asked us to extend the terms of the current contract another four years. We did that in our best and final offer.

Based on some of the questions and concerns raised in the emails I received, I want to clarify a few points:

  • There are no changes to your pension plan in this offer, and Boeing cannot make changes in the future unless ratified by members in a contract - it's that simple.

  • This offer guarantees a 5 percent salary pool for each year of the contract. Boeing executives, non-union and other union-represented employees have a 3 percent salary pool.

  • In the prior contract, SPEEA-represented employees paid 10 percent of their medical costs. This is unchanged in our final offer. Boeing executives and all non-union employees pay 20 percent of the costs.

    Future employees would be part of an enhanced retirement savings plan that would exceed anything offered by our aerospace peers. I can't stress enough how important this move for new hires is to our company's future. Getting a better handle on our pension costs now will enable us to do more amazing things in the future like the 777X and the 787-10X.

    The proposed retirement plan is similar to plans that have been in effect for new hires in other parts of Boeing since 2009. Every potential employee has a choice to either join or not join the Boeing team. Since implementing that change, we have not seen any impact to our recruitment and retention efforts.

    As you know, we are facing challenges on the 787 program. It was your innovation, talent and skill that brought the 787 Dreamliner to life, along with so many other market-leading products and services we've promised our customers. Now more than ever, we need to deliver on those promises by coming together as one team.

    Nobody wins in a strike. While hurting Boeing and our employees, it would also impact our customers who've put their trust in Boeing's people and products. It's important that we protect our competitiveness in the long-run, even if that means some short-term pain.

    We have so much opportunity ahead of us. Together, we can continue to build our reputation as the best aerospace company in the world. We can do anything together, including emerging from our recent difficulties with the 787.

    If you haven't already, I encourage you to review the contract on our website.

    This is a contract for your future, and I hope that you will vote to ratify it. Most of all, I hope you take the opportunity to vote.

    Ray

    • Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
    Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
    More Local News
    Top Stories

    • Behind the Wheel
      Police are patrolling for distracted drivers today

    • Tax Exempt Robocalls
      What the IRS kerfuffle could mean for the Tea Party and other political organizations

    • Chart Toppers
      Fresh voices & seasoned stars hit the red carpet of the Billboard Music Awards
    MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
    Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

    Comments (16)


    • Add A Comment

    • Zoeller wrote...
      "poison pill"
      February 8, 2013 6:15 am
      The real "poison pill" is the Union Thugs running SPEEA.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • Drool wrote...
      Engineers...
      February 8, 2013 7:21 am
      ...are such thugs. Standing there with their pocket protectors.....
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • Drool wrote...
      "just like every other employee Boeing has hired since 2009."
      February 8, 2013 7:20 am
      How about the IAM 751 members? I don't think they have a 401K style plan. The big beef is Boeing is trying to erode the traditional pension. Once they get enough members in the 401K style plan (a majority) those 401K folks won't support the old plan and Boeing will be free to freeze it in future contracts.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • DJFavorite wrote...
      401k
      February 8, 2013 7:48 am
      I think every employee has access to a 401k for well over 20 years. I think even the IAM has 401k. Even SPEEA members today have 401k plans (and have been for over 20 years). So today SPEEA members have BOTH a 401k and Pension. Boeing is just asking that NEW hires not get the Pension.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • iljeff01 wrote...
      @Drool
      February 8, 2013 9:09 am
      you my friend win the correct post for the day, actually the correct post for the entire time of the negotiations. that is exactly what the company is trying to do. it's called boiling a frog.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • AceBass wrote...
      Like the fat man said............
      February 8, 2013 9:45 am
      Im unhappy because I eat, and I eat because Im unhappy. Its a vicious cycle. Im guessing we are screwed either way. Even if we maintained the pension for new hires after march 1 I would bet you a dime for a dollar that some future SPEEA membership will vote away increases to our pension if there is money in it for them. Trust no one.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • HLC wrote...
      With the troubles of late.
      February 8, 2013 9:27 am
      A walkout by the electrical engineers could be a plus. Maybe new engineers would use newer technology. Maybe some updated batteries?
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • Drool wrote...
      HLC
      February 8, 2013 9:59 am
      Maybe you should talk to Thales about that. That was their outsourced baby.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • shark75 wrote...
      Let them strike, then fire them.
      February 8, 2013 10:40 am
      Greedy thugs. Come on boys, come attack Shark75 like a pack of rabid wolves. It doesn't get around the fact that unions are a thing of the past and need to be eliminated like the sorry a.ss union employees need to be elimated. You guys wouldn't last a week without your union mommy coming to save you. Go on, keep biting the hand that feeds you - one of these days you'll all get what's coming and I can't wait to turn on the news and hear that Boeing has become a non-union shop. I won't have to listen to news about you slobs threatening to strike every 4 months. Losers.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • Gymshortz wrote...
      Bell retires: pension plan value of $11.4 million,
      February 8, 2013 10:58 am
      http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2017770306_boeingexecpay17.html The point is if Boeing values it's employees should they not retire with a pension too? Are the executives moving to an enhanced 401k? They tell us it's a good plan is it good enough for them? SPEEA engineers know we have a good package now. We've worked to fix the bean counter failed outsourcing program. Why would we not get the same treatment we have had for the past 4 years?
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • Steinsbu wrote...
      shark75
      February 14, 2013 9:35 am
      Man, what is it that you do for a living (work). You have no clue how this great country was built. I hope that you work 50 to 60 hours a week based on a 40 hour salary. What a MORON!!!!!
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • HLC wrote...
      So drooler?
      February 8, 2013 11:13 am
      Are saying boing boing accepted out side engineering with out vetting it? Is that what your saying? Or did some union lackie totally miss something real important?
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • bmaddy wrote...
      Apparently
      February 8, 2013 11:22 am
      They can't engineer a battery
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • messiah101 wrote...
      Let me explain to you anti Union people
      February 8, 2013 1:21 pm
      Who HATE Unions (even though you probably have never been a member of one},how Unions are supposed to work.And that is your supposed to give the new hires BETTER conditions then you had when you came on board. And at times that means employees with more time with a company may get less in order that new hires are NOT given a raw deal.I understand how you selfish me first Rightys have a hard time swallowing that idea but a Union will fail over time unless that FAIRNESS is part of its platform.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • ScoSher77 wrote...
      @messiah101
      February 9, 2013 7:04 pm
      Who's being anit-union? Some people have been a part of unions before and now are not because of how they are run and how the people act in being a part of one. And some companies that don't have unions run the same way as one with one either good or bad. You honestly believe the union is looking out for you or just themselves? Accept the da*n contract and go back to work, be thankful you have a job with benefits and retirement cuz it sure as hell beats one without. And I'm pretty darn sure there are a lot of people out there that would be willing to take that last offer by Boeing or any of the other offers made by them. Matter of fact, I'm 100% positive on that one.
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • shark75 wrote...
      messiah101 wrote...
      February 8, 2013 1:36 pm
      I (we) really dont care about what your little thug union brotherhood is trying to accomplish with giving the new hires an even cushier job blah blah blah. We just want you to shut the e.ff up and work for the pay your were hired for and do it without b.itching. Anything above and beyond that is a bonus. You don't do your job, you get fired. Welcome to reality stupid...
      { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
    • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }