Key facts
- Boeing submitted a contract offer to the union representing 17,000 engineers and technical workers.
- The SPEEA negotiating team has endorsed the proposed contract.
- The union stated the proposal offers "real and meaningful value" and improves work-life balance.
- The current contract between Boeing and SPEEA expires on October 6.
- A strike could further delay certification of the 737 MAX 10 and 777-9 aircraft.
Boeing announced on Thursday that it has submitted a contract offer to the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), which represents approximately 17,000 engineers and technical workers within the company's commercial airplane division. The negotiating team for SPEEA has endorsed the proposed deal, according to a statement on the union's website.
While specific details of the contract were not immediately released, union officials indicated that the proposal offers significant value to its members, addresses work-life balance concerns, and prioritizes membership objectives. Union officials are set to review the terms and will present a recommendation to the members next week. The current contract is set to expire on October 6.
A potential strike by these engineers and technicians could further exacerbate delays in the certification processes for Boeing's 737 MAX 10 and 777-9 aircraft, both of which are already facing significant schedule setbacks due to intensive engineering work. This negotiation follows two other major union contract discussions in the past three years for Boeing, both involving the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which resulted in extended strikes. In January, a separate contract was reached with about 1,600 SPEEA members at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas, which included a ratification bonus, wage increases, and improved benefits.