Boeing Engineers Accept New Contracts, Averting Strike

A threatened strike by Boeing's engineers and technical workers has been averted after members of SPEEA, their union, voted to accept new four-year contracts. The narrow approvals, with 67.62% in favor for the professional unit and 53.48% for the technical unit, mean that the engineers who certify the 777-9 and the 737 MAX 10 will continue working.

The vote was not a landslide, but Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg had warned that an engineering strike would shut down the 777 certification program until the engineers returned to work. Engineers are crucial in certifying new aircraft, as they prepare and approve the necessary paperwork for regulators.

The union negotiated a revised offer from Boeing after members rejected the first tentative agreement in August. The new contract includes a 10% immediate pay raise, followed by a further 4% increase in March 2027, and annual wage pools. Average base salaries are expected to rise from about $152,000 to $208,000 for professional unit workers and from $119,000 to $163,000 for technical unit workers over the four-year contract.