Boeing Union Rejects Contract Offer, Authorizes Strike

Members of Boeing's SPEEA union, representing 13,000 engineers and 4,000 technical workers, have rejected a contract offer from the company. The offer would have boosted average pay by nearly 30% over four years, with benefits including three extra days of paid leave, lower limits on mandatory overtime, and more opportunities for virtual work.

The union claims members don't trust Boeing management due to concerns that jobs are being sent out of state, engineering decisions are being overridden, quality is taking a backseat to schedules, and salaries aren't keeping up with inflation and the aerospace market. Boeing's vice president and functional chief engineer, Ben Nimmergut, said they're 'disappointed' by the vote and believe their offer positioned employees among market leaders in pay and benefits.

The union has authorized a strike if further talks fail, with the earliest possible date being October 7, after the current contract expires. Boeing claims to have a contingency plan in place for such an event.