Boeing, SPEEA resume talks Sept 8 with strike authorization in place

Boeing and the SPEEA union will resume contract negotiations on September 8 after union members overwhelmingly rejected Boeing’s four-year proposal on August 21. About 17,000 SPEEA members have authorized their negotiating team to call a strike if no agreement is reached by contract expiration on October 6, raising the prospect of further disruption to Boeing’s certification work for the 737 Max 10 and 777-9. In internal surveys, union members prioritized higher general wage increases and other changes to pay, benefits, and work conditions in the next offer. The talks come as Boeing faces ongoing labor relations pressures with key engineering and technical staff across Washington state and other states. Company and union representatives have signaled a willingness to engage, but the next round could be pivotal in determining whether a new agreement can be reached before the current contracts lapse.