Boeing White-Collar Union Authorizes Strike Amid Pay Increase Rejection

Boeing's white-collar union has authorized a strike after rejecting a proposed contract offer. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) IFPTE Local 2001 represents about 17,000 engineers, scientists, and technical workers.

The union voted down the contract proposal by wide margins, with more than 88% supporting strike authorization. Ninety-two percent of eligible union members participated in the vote.

The Professional Unit, which represents nearly 13,000 engineers and scientists, rejected its proposed contract 64.3% to 35.7%. The Technical Unit, which represents over 4,000 analysts, designers, technicians, and other specialists, rejected its contract by an even wider margin of 71.9%.

The union's negotiation team had unanimously endorsed Boeing's proposals for both units. However, deep mistrust of Boeing management drove the vote, despite a proposed 29.4% pay increase over four years, the largest wage-pool increase since 1983. Boeing also offered three extra days of paid leave annually, lower limits on mandatory overtime, more opportunities for virtual work, and a joint labor-management committee on the use of artificial intelligence.

Boeing contracts expire on October 6, but SPEEA says a deal can still be reached. The union plans to survey members to determine what it will take to get them to approve a contract with Boeing. Negotiations may resume with the ability to call a strike if necessary.