Boeing Engineers Reject Contract, Threatening 737 MAX 10 Certification Timeline

Boeing's long-delayed 737 MAX 10 is facing further delays due to a potential strike by engineers and technical staff over pay disputes. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) voted down a proposed four-year contract, giving union leaders the authority to call a walkout once the current contract expires in October.

The core grievance centers on inflation protection, with Boeing offering a capped annual rise of 3 percent, which is below the 4.5 percent increase in consumer prices in the Seattle area where most SPEEA members live. The union's membership survey on the dispute runs until August 26, and Boeing has roughly six weeks left to negotiate before the contract lapses.

Unlike a 2024 walkout by 33,000 machinists that halted assembly lines, an SPEEA strike would focus on design, testing, and certification, potentially stalling regulatory close-out even if physical production continues. The MAX 10 is already behind schedule, with Boeing targeting certification within 2026 and first deliveries beginning in 2027.

United Airlines, the original launch customer for the MAX 10, holds 167 firm orders for the jet and now expects to receive its first examples in the summer of 2027. Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella has said United is 'patiently waiting' for certification, while also stepping up retirement of older aircraft in 2027.