SEATTLE — Boeing presented a revised four-year contract offer Friday to the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), and the union’s bargaining committee recommended that members vote to accept. Union negotiators said the new package is not everything members sought but represents a meaningful improvement in guaranteed pay and workplace language.
“The results of these negotiations could not have been possible without the unity and solidarity that our members have shown over the last few weeks,” A SPEEA spokesperson released in a video message to union members. “This offer delivers higher general wage increases for everyone, revised language on topics like working from home, career development, as well as targeted raises for SPEA members with low comp-ratios. Details of the offer will be presented to the Bargaining Unit Councils of the Prof and Tech units at the regularly scheduled Northwest Council meeting on Thursday, September 17, and then shared with the general membership.”
Boeing said the proposal addresses priorities identified by SPEEA-represented engineers, scientists and technical workers after they overwhelmingly rejected a prior offer in August.
“Our final contract offer addresses the top priorities identified by our employees and SPEEA’s bargaining teams, including an immediate wage increase and larger wage pools with guarantees,” Ben Nimmergut, Boeing vice president and functional chief engineer for Production Engineering. “We’re optimistic this will allow all of us to focus on the important work ahead.”
If ratified, the offer would provide a 10% guaranteed wage increase for professional and technical unit employees effective October 16, followed by another 4% guaranteed increase during the annual compensation review in March 2027. Wage pools of 6% would be established for 2028, 2029 and 2030, with a 4% guaranteed increase for all employees in each of those years. Boeing said all money in the wage pools must be spent on SPEEA members.
Boeing also agreed to spend additional funds, beyond those identified in the contract, to address wage compression and low Compa-Ratios. The proposal includes revised language on work-from-home and virtual work, overtime limits for professional-unit members, a process for communicating future workforce needs to help employees plan careers, and a return to the existing three-bucket retention rating system. Enhanced health care and retirement provisions from the first offer would be carried forward.
On Aug. 21, professional-unit members rejected the offer by 64.25%, with 7,238 no votes to 4,027 yes. Technical-unit members rejected it by 71.87%, with 2,795 no votes to 1,094 yes. Both units authorized a strike by wide margins — 87.82% among professionals and 89.71% among technical workers. Turnout exceeded 92% in both units.
The contrast with the rejected July offer is sharpest on guaranteed wages. That four-year proposal, presented July 30 and endorsed at the time by the negotiation team, included a 3% general wage increase upon ratification, retroactive to Feb. 20, 2026, plus an amount equal to 40% of each member’s 2026 incentive bonus and 40 restricted stock units valued at more than $9,000. Subsequent salary adjustment funds were structured around wage pools — reported as starting at 6% or 7% in 2027 and then 5% or 5.5% in later years — with a guaranteed minimum tied to inflation but capped at 3%.
The company also offered a 40% increase in the target payout for the annual incentive plan, three extra paid-leave days, tighter limits on mandatory overtime and no increase in health-care costs for members.
Boeing said the first package would have raised average base salaries for professional-unit employees from about $152,000 to $197,000 over four years and for technical-unit employees from about $119,000 to $154,000. Union leaders described the wage pools as the largest since 1983 and projected compounded growth of 29.4%, or 31.9% including promotions and out-of-sequence adjustments.
The talks that began July 1 were the first full contract negotiations between Boeing and SPEEA in 14 years. Members approved extensions of the 2013 agreements in 2016 and 2020. The current contracts expire Oct. 6. A strike, if called after a rejected vote, could begin as early as Oct. 7.
SPEEA, IFPTE Local 2001, represents more than 16,000 Boeing employees, primarily in the Puget Sound region, with smaller groups in Oregon, California and Utah. The professional unit includes 12,696 engineers and scientists who support research, design, development, testing and maintenance. The technical unit includes 3,959 employees who provide analytical support. The two units negotiate simultaneously but have separate contracts.
Author: Mario Lotmore
