Business & Tech
SPEEA to Resubmit Offer to Technical Workers; Boeing Won't Budge
Boeing technical workers will vote again next week on a contract they rejected once, but was approved by SPEEA engineers.
The union representing some 8,000 Boeing technical workers in the Puget Sound region will resubmit the company’s latest contract offer to its members after the Boeing refused to budge in talks earlier this week, the Seattle Times reports.
Boeing engineers, also members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), recently accepted the same offer. But the technical workers -- many of whom work at Boeing Renton -- rejected it last week, with the sticking point being a company plan to replace pensions for new hires with a 401K plan.
After the company refused to change the offer Wednesday, SPEEA leaders decided to resubmit the contract to the technical workers with no recommendation.
“While disappointing that the current offer eliminates the pension for anyone hired after March 1, 2013, accepting the company’s last offer would lock-in the considerable improvements we achieved,” the union said in a statement.
The company proposal offers 5 percent average pay increases in each of the contract’s four years and retains the current medical plan. SPEEA said ballots will be sent out early next week and the technical workers will have 10 days to vote.
For the full Times story, click here.
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