Boeing has begun posting contractor positions for engineering and technical jobs as the company prepares for a possible strike involving about 17,000 unionized workers. Reuters reported that the openings appeared Tuesday, several days after members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) rejected Boeing’s proposed four-year contract. The current agreement expires Oct. 6.
“We want to reach an agreement before the current contract expires and look forward to finding a solution with SPEEA at the table,” a Boeing spokesperson told Reuters. “To protect business continuity and support our customers, we’re implementing our contingency planning which will leverage a wide range of qualified resources with a continued emphasis on safety and quality.”
Union Members Reject Offer
SPEEA’s engineers rejected Boeing’s proposal by a 64% vote, while about 72% of technical workers voted against the agreement, according to results published by the union. Members in both groups also voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Boeing says no additional negotiations are currently scheduled and the earliest a strike could begin is Oct. 7.
“It appears, however, that both sides are preparing for the possibility of a strike,” SPEEA spokesman Bryan Corliss told Reuters. “In our case, that includes preparing information for our members on what they could expect should there be a work stoppage.”
Certification Work Could Be Affected
A strike could affect Boeing’s certification work on the 737 MAX 10 and 777-9. Both aircraft have experienced certification delays and have yet to enter airline service.
Boeing experienced another major labor stoppage in 2024, when about 33,000 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers members went on strike for seven weeks and halted much of the company’s commercial aircraft production.
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