Boeing’s white-collar union rejects contract, authorizes strike despite largest pay offer since 1983

Boeing’s white-collar union voted down a proposed contract, authorizing a strike.

SPEEA IFPTE Local 2001 represents about 17,000 engineers, scientists, and technical workers.

They rejected the company’s offer by wide margins, with more than 88% supporting strike authorization. Ninety-two percent of eligible union members voted.

The Professional Unit, which represents nearly 13,000 engineers and scientists, rejected its proposed contract 64.3% to 35.7%, with 7,238 voting no and 4,027 voting yes. The Technical Unit, which represents more than 4,000 analysts, designers, technicians, and other specialists, rejected its contract by an even wider margin of 71.9%, with 2,795 voting no and 1,094 voting yes.

The rejection came despite SPEEA’s own negotiation team unanimously endorsing Boeing’s proposals for both units. The union said deep mistrust of Boeing management drove the vote, despite a proposed 29.4% pay increase over four years, the largest wage-pool increase for SPEEA members since 1983.

Boeing had also proposed three extra days of paid leave annually, lower limits on mandatory overtime, more opportunities for virtual work, and a joint labor-management committee on the use of artificial intelligence. The membership rejected the entire package.

Boeing contracts expire Oct. 6, but SPEEA says a deal can still be reached

As the negotiation team began presenting the proposal to the broader membership, the disconnect became clear. The Bargaining Unit Council for the Technical Unit voted to recommend rejection, while the Bargaining Unit Council for the Professional Unit couldn’t muster the 60% supermajority required for a recommendation for or against.

“Negotiators for SPEEA said they plan to immediately survey members of the bargaining unit to see what it will take to get them to approve a contract with Boeing,” a news release from the union stated. “Then they will seek to resume bargaining with the company, this time with the ability to call a strike should they deem that necessary.”

The current contracts expire Oct. 6, but SPEEA noted no strike could take place if an agreement is reached.

“Our negotiation team is prepared and willing to work with the company toward meaningful movement so that we can come to agreement on new contracts before Oct. 6,” SPEEA stated. “However, we also are prepared to call for a labor stoppage, based on the overwhelming support of our members for a strike authorization vote.”

KIRO Newsradio has reached out to Boeing for comment.