Boeing Union Rejects Contract Offer, Potential Strike Looms

Boeing's largest union has rejected a contract offer from the company, paving the way for a potential strike. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) represents 13,000 engineers and 4,000 technical workers at Boeing.

The proposed contract would have increased average pay by nearly 30 percent over four years, with additional benefits including three extra days of paid leave, lower limits on mandatory overtime, and more opportunities for virtual work. However, SPEEA members voted against the offer, citing a lack of trust in Boeing management.

SPEEA representatives claim that Boeing's decisions are leading to staff turnover, as jobs are being sent out of state and engineering and technical staff are having their decisions overruled by management. They also argue that quality is taking a backseat to schedules, and salaries are not keeping up with inflation and the aerospace market.

Boeing has a contingency plan in place should SPEEA workers go on strike, which could happen as early as October 7th when the current contract expires. The last Boeing strike in western Washington was in 2024, lasting for 53 days and shutting down production.