Roughly 17,000 engineers and technical workers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace ratified a four-year contract with The Boeing Company, avoiding a potential work stoppage ahead of an October 6 contract expiration.
Members of SPEEA’s Professional and Technical units approved the revised agreements after rejecting an earlier proposal on August 21. That initial rejection included 64.3% of the Prof unit and 71.9% of the Tech unit voting against the company’s terms and authorizing a strike.
SPEEA Units Approve Contracts With Voting Margins
Under the ratified agreements, the Professional Unit—representing nearly 13,000 engineers and scientists—approved their contract with a 67.6% yes vote, totaling 7,895 to 3,780. The Technical Unit, which includes more than 4,000 analysts, designers, technicians, and specialists, backed their deal with a 53.5% yes vote, 2,061 to 1,793.
The four-year contracts cover union-represented workers primarily at facilities in Western Washington, alongside smaller groups in Oregon, California, and Utah. All covered employees receive a 10% wage increase effective October 2, plus an additional day of paid leave to use before the end of the year. Approximately 800 workers identified as low-paid receive a separate adjustment to bridge gaps toward labor-market averages.
An additional 4% wage increase takes effect in March 2027. For 2028, 2029, and 2030, wage pools increase by 6% annually, guaranteeing each worker a 4% minimum raise while the remaining 2% is tied to performance evaluations.
Pay Projections Compare With Rejected Offers
The revised package provides a guaranteed 10% pay increase upon ratification, replacing the earlier flat 3% annual increases tied to inflation that sparked member dissatisfaction. SPEEA projects the total adjustments will raise average compensation across both units.
| SPEEA Unit | Rejected First Offer High | New Contract Average Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Unit | $197,000 | $208,000 |
| Technical Unit | $154,000 | $163,000 |
Starting pay baselines also change under the new terms. The average union-represented engineer’s pay is projected to grow from $152,000 to $208,000 over the life of the contract. For technical workers, average pay increases from $119,000 to $163,000.
Aircraft Certification Programs Depend on SPEEA Members
Aviation analysts and company leadership viewed the labor agreement as necessary to prevent a work stoppage that would disrupt certification schedules for major commercial aircraft.
The long-delayed 737 MAX 10 and 777-9 certification programs rely heavily on the technical and regulatory work performed by SPEEA members. Although ratifying the contract removes the immediate threat of a strike, Boeing still faces the task of executing complex technical reviews to bring those aircraft into service.
Remote Work Rules and Artificial Intelligence Oversight Change
Beyond compensation, the agreements address working conditions and future workplace technology. Negotiators secured improved language governing work-from-home and remote arrangements. The contracts also lower mandatory overtime limits from 144 hours to 96 hours a quarter for professionals and to 112 hours a quarter for technicians.
The new contract establishes a joint labor-management committee to study potential uses of artificial intelligence. Boeing must provide the union with workforce data regarding future staffing needs to assist employees with career planning.
We secured many victories that some people thought were completely out of reach when this negotiation cycle started. All of these gains would not have been possible without your individual actions and our collective strength.
