SPEEA accuses Boeing of illegal surveillance

As they wait to resume contract negotiations next week, Boeing’s engineering union has accused the company of illegally photographing union members during a solidarity march in Everett.

SPEEA claims company representatives took the photos inside and outside the factory on Dec 12, an action that the union’s executive director says violates a “well settled law that such surveillance is illegal” under the National Labor Relations Act.

“The company photographed our members who were engaged in walkabouts during their lunch hours and break times in support of our negotiation team,” says SPEAA spokesman Bill Dugovich. “It’s intimidating when a company official comes by and starts photographing you. There’s no reason for that. The members are engaged in protected activity.”

A previous SPEEA charge was filed in October claiming Boeing seized cameras and photographs of union marches and videotaped the events.

Union and company negotiators are due to resume contract talks on Jan. 9. The old contract expired back in November.