Key facts
- Boeing's largest white-collar union, SPEEA, approved a new four-year contract offer.
- The union represents approximately 17,000 engineers and technical workers.
- The approved offer includes a 10% wage increase upon ratification.
- Annual raises of 4% and a potential additional 2% based on performance are also part of the deal.
- Members of the professional unit voted 68% in favor, and the technical unit voted over 53% in favor.
- A strike that could have impacted 737 MAX 10 and 777X production has been averted.
Boeing's largest white-collar union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), announced on Thursday that its members approved a sweetened contract offer, thereby averting fears of a strike. The union represents approximately 17,000 engineers and technical workers.
The new four-year offer includes a guaranteed 10% wage increase upon ratification, followed by annual raises of 4% and a potential additional 2% increase tied to performance. The professional unit, comprising about 13,000 engineers and scientists, voted 68% in favor of the deal, while over 53% of the technical unit, representing around 4,000 designers, analysts, and technicians, also approved it.
This ratification provides relief for Boeing, which was concerned about a potential strike as early as October 7, the day after current contracts were set to expire. A work stoppage could have delayed critical certification processes for the 737 MAX 10 narrowbody and the 777X widebody, and also hindered the company's efforts to increase production and delivery rates.
Previously, members of both units had rejected Boeing's initial offer, which linked guaranteed raises to inflation, capped at 3%, with an additional 2.5% based on performance. SPEEA's last strike against Boeing occurred in 2000, lasting 40 days and impacting commercial aircraft production and deliveries.