Boeing Workers Reject Contract Offer, Strike Looms

Boeing engineers and technical workers have overwhelmingly rejected the company's four-year contract offer. The 17,000 members of SPEEA (Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace) voted against the tentative agreement, with 64% opposing it and 72% of techs voting no.

The union gave Boeing's negotiating team the power to declare a strike when the current contract expires on October 6. No new talks are scheduled between Boeing and SPEEA, which is the company's largest white-collar union.

Boeing's Ben Nimmergut, vice president and functional chief engineer for production engineering, expressed disappointment at the vote. He said that as a result of the rejection, they will implement their strike contingency plan and divert funds to prepare for a potential strike.

SPEEA members are seeking better compensation, as the current offer includes wage increases tied to inflation capped at 3%. The Consumer Price Index rose 4.5% over the past year in the Seattle area, where most SPEEA members work.