Boeing ups its offer, but will it be enough to avoid strike?
Nov 21, 2012, 6:14 AM | Updated: 6:29 am
Boeing has given its engineers and technical workers another contract proposal with better wages and benefits, but the union is expected to reject this offer too.
The first offer was voted down by over 90 percent of SPEEA members last month.
Boeing is now offering wage pool increases a full percent above what it offered in October. The company offered between 2 to 3.5 percent wage pool increases in October. It’s upped that to between 3 to 4.5 percent. The union has asked for 7.5 percent raises. It received a 5 percent bump in the 2008 contract.
Boeing is also asking workers to contribute less to their own health care than they did in October. The company is still asking new hires to enter into a 401K-based retirement plan, not the existing pension plan.
Both sides are expected to meet Wednesday.
Any strike isn’t expected before the new year. SPEEA has only walked out twice in its history and only once for a significant period of time.
