Boeing Engineers Reject Contract, Authorize Potential Strike

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), which represents over 17,000 Boeing employees, has rejected the company's contract offer. The union members voted down the proposal on Friday, authorizing a potential strike if a new agreement is not reached before October 7.

Boeing's vice president, Ben Nimmergut, said the company offered its engineers and technical workforce 'the largest wage increases on the table since 1983,' including guaranteed minimum wage increases tied to inflation. However, union negotiators claim that the offered wages still fall behind those in the larger aerospace labor market.

The union's press release stated that employees have expressed concerns about Boeing's schedule pressures overriding safety and quality concerns. Additionally, they worry that the company will offshore or outsource engineering and technical roles to other entities.