Boeing bypassing union leaders, takes contract message directly to SPEEA members

Boeing managers are bypassing union officials and taking their message directly to engineering union members, offering their opinion on the company’s “best and final” contract offer via a satellite webcast.

The company sent out an invitation to the nearly 23,000 members of SPEEA (Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace), saying that “this is an important time in Boeing’s history-a time when we can come together and focus on the challenges at hand…find out more about our contract offer, and become an informed voter.”

“The Boeing negotiations team wants the contract ratified as soon as possible. This is an excellent offer and we encourage employees to run the numbers for themselves,” Spokesman Doug Alder said in a statement.

Negotiators for SPEEA disagree. Last week they recommended the union reject the company’s offer, but the union’s leadership has decided not to offer its recommendation to the rank and file one way or the other until Jan. 31. A decision to call for a strike authorization vote, which is needed before any potential walkout, is also on hold until next week.

Ballots are expected to be mailed out to SPEEA members on Feb. 4 and a tally of the votes won’t come until the middle of next month.

Boeing and the union have been wrestling over terms of a new contract for the past year.