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Joint Communications - May 18, 2018
Subcommittees discuss performance management, benefits

WICHITA -The Wichita Engineering Unit (WEU) and Spirit AeroSystems negotiation teams continued working in subcommittees this week. The most recent discussions were regarding concerns and issues involving performance management and benefits.

These in-depth discussions about the current performance management process resulted in a deep-dive about Spirit’s performance evaluation methodologies. Both Spirit management and SPEEA recognized concerns and agreed to continue these discussions.

The benefits subcommittee also met this week and began reviewing existing Spirit plans and goals for the different plans. The discussion was open with both sides sharing their concerns.

While still in the early stages of negotiations, talks are productive.

The current contract expires Dec. 1.

Negotiations will determine the next contract for the approximately 980 engineers at Spirit AeroSystems in the SPEEA Wichita Engineering Unit (WEU). In addition to the engineers, there are about 1,650 technical and professional workers at Spirit covered by a separate contract.

2018 Prof and Tech salary charts now online

This year’s salary charts are now available for the SPEEA Prof and Tech Bargaining Units. The charts reflect data from The Boeing Company following the 2018 salary adjustments.

Access is for SPEEA members only.

Salary charts

Top vote getters for IFPTE Executive Council

Congratulations to Joel Funfar and Ryan Rule, the top vote getters for the two Northwest SPEEA-Area IFPTE vice president seats.

They were selected to serve on the IFPTE Executive Council with Donna Lehane, who ran unopposed for Midwest SPEEA-Area IFPTE vice president.

The three will be formally nominated and elected by IFPTE delegates at the triennial convention in June.

The vice presidents serve three-year terms on the IFPTE Executive Council, which oversees IFPTE governance between conventions.

The Northwest Tellers counted the ballots and validated results April 25.

NW IFPTE VP candidates	Votes
Mohammed Riaz Khan	325
Joel Funfar	545
Ryan Rule	792
Jimmie Mathis	461

Lunchtime meeting in Portland

SPEEA hosted a lunchtime meeting in Portland April 17 on ‘Early/Mid-Career Financial Planning 101.’ Oregon Council Reps Emily Brent-Fulps and Ricardo Salve hosted the meeting. SPEEA Senior Director of Compensation and Retirement Matt Kempf gave the overview on how to maximize your 401(k) to about 60.

SPEEA Executive Board vacancy
Petition available for interim NW vice president

Members interested in filling an upcoming vacancy for regional vice president on the SPEEA Executive Board have until
noon, Wednesday, June 20 to submit a petition.

Election Booklet – Includes the petition, requiring 20 members’ signatures, and important details on written responses from candidates.

Eligibility – Candidates must be a SPEEA member in the Northwest Region and meet the minimum qualification of continuous membership in good standing for the previous 24 months.

Council Reps will vote to fill the vacancy at the July 12 Northwest Council meeting. The vacancy is due to a vice president taking a voluntary layoff.

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Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
Apply for Northwest Council STEM grant

If you’re a member volunteer working with students on Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Math (STEM), apply for a Northwest Council STEM grant.

The NW Council STEM grants are for non-profit organizations or institutions, with at least one Northwest SPEEA member participating (as a coach, mentor or parent).

STEM education grant application (click here) – deadline Aug. 15

For more information about the program, see Northwest Policy VII: Subsection B.4.

Apply for STEM Grant Review Committee

SPEEA is looking for members to apply for the NW Council STEM grant review committee. The committee meets a few times to review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the NW Council, which votes on the grant allocations.

If you’re interested, email your name and school district to speea@speea.org by July 2.

Study will examine Washington competitiveness

SPEEA and Machinists District 751 - as part of the Governor’s Choose Washington NMA Council - commissioned Richard Aboulafia, vice president of the Teal Group, to conduct an in-depth analysis of the state’s competitive position to design, manufacture and assemble Boeing’s proposed New Middle-Market aircraft.

The effort was announced Wednesday (Feb. 7) during a conference call with reporters and representatives of the Choose Washington NMA Council. SPEEA and the Machinists, along with business, education, state and local government, are members of the Council.
“We look forward to looking at the data and providing a very clear examination of the state’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Aboulafia.

The study is initially co-funded by the IAM and SPEEA. Council and state officials are working on the broader funding for the Council’s overall efforts, including work related to the study.

“As independent aerospace experts, Aboulafia and his team know what aerospace firms look for when making site decisions,” said Chelsea Orvella, SPEEA’s representative on the Council. “With this study, our unions and the NMA Council are being proactive and tapping into new approaches to secure Boeing’s next plane in Washington.”

As one of the leading aerospace analyst in the world, Aboulafia and the Teal Group are well suited for performing an in-depth analysis of Washington’s engineering and manufacturing facilities, talent pool, supplier network, tax structure and proven success for Boeing.
“They will let us know where we are strong – and I believe we are strong everywhere,” said Jon Holden, president of IAM District 751. “This will be independent and something we can use to improve our environment.”

The study is scheduled for completion in April.

Eligibility extended two years
Trade Act Assistance available for laid-off Boeing workers

Workers laid-off by The Boeing Company in Washington state through August 9, 2019, are eligible to apply for training, income support, and other benefits through the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program (TAA or "Trade Act").

The eligibility dates were recently extended an additional two years as a result of a petition to the U.S. Labor Department by the International Association of Machinists (IAM), District 751 in partnership with SPEEA, IFPTE Local 2001.

Laid-off workers will receive a letter detailing the benefits steps to apply for assistance.

Since Washington state extended the aerospace tax preferences (tax breaks) in November, 2013 to Boeing and the aerospace industry with the agreed intent to “maintain and grow Washington’s aerospace workforce” more than 3,500 SPEEA-represented employees have been laid off by the company. The most recent figures from July show that overall Boeing has shed 15,828 jobs from its Washington state workforce since the tax breaks were extended.

Additional information to help members facing layoff is available on the following SPEEA web pages:

Trade Act Benefits Overview

Layoff information

Jobs for aerospace workers

Ed Wells Partnership - Contract benefit
Resume and job-search workshops available

Ed Wells Partnership (EWP) recently added a number of resume and job-search workshops to its list of offerings. The workshops provide information about how to be successful searching for new jobs within Boeing.

Complete information and registration is available on the Boeing intranet http://edwells.web.boeing.com/TransitionResources/.

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