Upon the request of SPEEA, Boeing’s senior leaders sent a correction/clarification regarding the Employee Incentive Plan award payout Feb. 3.

Boeing’s initial communication Feb. 3 referenced a payout of 13.1 days. The 2020 SPEEA’s Puget Sound Prof and Tech contracts changed the target payout from 10 days (approximately 3.84%) to 5%. This year’s EIP bonus is 131% of 5% which equals 6.55% of eligible earnings.

Boeing issued the clarification within hours of SPEEA’s request. The message came from David Loffing, vice president and chief engineer for BCA Development Programs and Doug Backhus, vice president and chief engineer for BCA Production Program to all SPEEA-represented employees and their managers.

The union representing some 1,600 Wichita aerospace professionals has ratified a 4.8-year contract with Boeing.

The contract was approved by a 671 to 111 vote of dues-paying members of SPEEA’s Wichita Technical & Professional Unit, or WTPU. Voting was conducted online and in-person over the past week. Ballots were counted Friday, Jan. 30.

The ratified contract will bring the biggest increases in salary pools that the WTPU has ever seen, said James Hatfield, who was the chair of the WTPU negotiation team.

“The average WTPU-represented worker will be making more than $117,000 a year when this contract is done in 2030,” he said. “In addition, we’ll see significant improvements to our health care benefits with lower premiums, we’ll have more days off from work and we’ll have a higher incentive pay target.”

The negotiation team had unanimously endorsed the Boeing offer.

The WTPU bargaining unit includes a mix of white-collar professionals working in non-engineering roles at Boeing-Wichita. This is the first contract the union has negotiated with Boeing since it reacquired Spirit AeroSystems in December.

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Six SPEEA members stepped up to run for SPEEA’s top leadership positions on the Executive Board.

Executive Board candidates

Names listed in ballot order determined in a random drawing by the Tellers.

For contested races, we’ll have online voting with an in-person option. More details, including candidate information, will be coming in a few weeks. Ballots will be counted on March 11.

About the Executive Board

The seven-member Executive Board is responsible for setting and administering the annual budget and administering the affairs of SPEEA, according to the constitution, bylaws and policies established by the membership and the union councils.

Teller petition results

Congratulations to the members who submitted valid petitions for their region’s Teller Committee. They ran unopposed and will begin serving two-year terms April 1.

Teller vacancies

Look for an interim petition form coming soon to fill one of the vacancies listed above.

About the Tellers

Tellers oversee union elections, Council district delineations and review the annual financial audit for SPEEA.

The redlined version of Boeing’s proposed contract offer is now available online. This version shows exactly what would change from the old contract, should we vote to ratify this offer.

A reminder: Both your WTPU negotiation team and your Bargaining Unit Council (comprised of the 14 WTPU Council Reps) have endorsed Boeing’s offer and recommend that you vote yes.

WICHITA, Kan. -- The union for 1,600 aerospace professionals in Wichita has reached a tentative agreement with Boeing on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The negotiation team is unanimously recommending that union members approve the offer.

Boeing’s offer “gives us better medical benefits, better dental benefits, more vacation time and a decent set of salary pools for raises,” said James Hatfield, who chaired the union’s negotiation team. “We will be joining other unions and Boeing non-union employees in enjoying the Boeing benefits; that’s why I would vote for approving this contract.”

“This proposal hits most of the areas we tried to address,” said Wes Gardner, the negotiation team’s vice chairman, who also cited improved pay, time off, benefits and bonuses – and improved contract language regarding retention ratings, flex time and working from home.

“This is a huge increase for our SPEEA family,” Gardner said.

SPEEA’s WTPU represents more than 1,600 aerospace professionals working in non- engineering roles at Boeing’s recently reacquired Wichita operations. They have been working under a six-year contract that expires on Jan. 31.

Terms

Boeing’s contract offer to the WTPU includes:

• 20% increases to wage pools over 58 months (4.8 years). Individuals’ pay increases would vary based on the scores they get in annual performance reviews but everyone is guaranteed an annual raise of at least 2%. The wage pools will increase aggregate wages 5% on July 10 of this year; 3.5% in March 2027; 4% in March 2028; 3.5% in March 2029; and 4% in March 2030.
• The offer also incudes a 50% increase in promotional funds from 0.50% per year to 0.75% per year. Unspent promotional funds roll into the next year’s selective wage pools.
• A $6,000 ratification bonus, which can be taken as cash or deferred into your 401(k) plan (subject to IRS limits)
• An increase in annual performance bonus payouts starting in 2027 (for the 2026 plan year), with the target going to 7% from the current 6%, and the maximum going to 14% from the current 12%.
• A switch to a Boeing suite of medical insurance plans in 2027, which will save an average WTPU-represented employee $3,100 with some saving more than $7,000 a year, depending on their current plan.
• Starting in 2027, a 10% 401(k) match for workers putting at least that much of their own money into the savings plans.
• An average of six more days of time off per year – depending on years of service – plus a floating holiday; and improved parental, adoption and military service leave.

Next steps

In accordance with SPEEA bylaws, Boeing’s offer has been reviewed by the WTPU Bargaining Unit Council, which is comprised of 14 Council Representatives who serve as SPEEA union stewards. That council also has recommended that WTPU members accept the offer.

Union members will have until 5 p.m., (CT) Jan. 30 to review the offer and vote on it. Voting will be conducted electronically using a secure voting system, although bargaining unit members will have the option of voting in-person with a paper ballot at SPEEA’s Wichita union hall. Instructions on how to vote will be mailed to dues-paying WTPU members next week and emailed to all those who have signed up to receive messages to their personal email inboxes.

Only dues-paying members in good standing will get to vote. A simple majority is required to ratify the agreement, and if ratified, the terms will take effect on Feb. 1.

SPEEA also represents 1,000 engineers working at Boeing-Wichita. They are in a separate bargaining unit and ratified their own contract in 2024.

Your WTPU negotiation team returned to the table with Boeing on Monday, and we met with them a couple times again on Tuesday.

Boeing has responded to many of the non-economic portions of the contract proposal we presented three weeks ago. The tenor of our conversations continues to be collaborative; however, the final offer will determine the sincerity of the company’s recognition and rewards for SPEEA-represented employees. That will show us exactly how much it values the knowledge, experience and hard work we all bring to the enterprise, and whether it plans to reward us adequately for that.

Show union solidarity

Your collective voices matter, and it helps us at the table when you let your managers know that you’re engaged and involved. You can do that by:

1. Talking with your co-workers about contract issues that are important to you -- especially when your manager is around.
2. Displaying SPEEA buttons, stickers, magnets or desk tents. (For desk tents, click here; for other union swag, stop by the SPEEA office.)
3. Wearing red for every Red Shirt Friday.
4. Texting “WTPU” to 30644 for updates.

Congratulations to District S-26 As a team, we’d like to recognize District S-26 and Council Rep Gina Freeman for achieving higher than 80% membership in their district! The S-26 District covers second and third shift workers over multiple buildings. That kind of membership rate shows a collective commitment to having a strong union here at Boeing-Wichita and it helps build our collective strength and leverage at the bargaining table. That in turn helps us, your negotiation team, to push harder for the kind of contract we all deserve.

If you’re not a member, you can use this link to download and print out a membership form, which you can return to your Council Rep, or drop at our SPEEA offices at 4621 E. 47 th St. S. (If you come to the office, you also can pick up a free SPEEA T-shirt to wear on Red Shirt Fridays.)

Remember, only dues-paying members will get to vote on Boeing’s final offer.

Our union has agreed to Boeing’s request to pause negotiations on a new contract for our Wichita Technical & Professional Unit (WTPU).

Boeing asked for the delay today, citing complications related to the reunification of the newly re-acquired Spirit AeroSystems operation with the rest of the Boeing enterprise.

Talks will resume on Jan. 5.

WTPU negotiations team members said this evening they were frustrated by the lack of progress over the past week, particularly Boeing’s lack of response to the thoughtful and intentional proposal they submitted last week.

The Boeing negotiators clearly weren’t ready to start talks last week, said WTPU Negotiaions Team Chairman James Hatfield. “I find their lack of preparation disturbing,” he said.

“These bargaining sessions and the reunification itself have been on management’s calendars for the better part of a year,” team member Wes Gardner added. “I’m incredibly pissed off by this demonstrated lack of respect.”

It doesn’t appear that the Boeing negotiators at the table actually have authority to make a deal, our WTPU team members added.

“We’re being told to ignore the man behind the curtain,” said team member Patti Brinkmeyer.

“Why aren’t the right decision-makers in the room with us?” added team member Emily Forest.

Rich Plunkett, the spokesman for the negotiation team, said all of our union’s members and allies should be paying attention to what’s happening during the WTPU negotiations.

“As we look ahead to next year’s contract talks for our Northwest Prof and Tech bargaining units,” he said, “these WTPU negotiations are giving us a preview of what we can expect from the people we will be negotiating with.”

Last week, your WTPU negotiation team presented a complete redlined contract proposal to management that would improve pay, benefits and leave for all WTPU-represented employees.

The proposal was reasonable and incorporated existing Boeing policies and procedures that have served Boeing well at other locations across the country. This was presented with intention, to allow for a more seamless reunification of the Wichita site with the larger Boeing Company.

The proposal includes:

• A one-time, across-the-board salary increase to recognize that we are once again part of an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The company (Onex) that purchased the Wichita site 20 years ago sought to lower wages when it became a supplier to Boeing.
• Improved annual increases that reflect the skills of the top talent that Boeing needs to resume preeminence in aerospace.
• Improved 401(k) matching.
• Increases to our incentive bonus program associated with the company’s success and tied to the same performance metrics that are used to calculate other Boeing incentive pay plans.
• A one-time ratification bonus.
• A move to a Boeing suite of health benefits that the company has deployed with success at other locations nationwide. This would both reduce the costs of what WTPU-represented workers pay for coverage and improve the coverage they receive.
• Increases to Parental Leave, Leave of Absence coverage and paid time away from work.

Our proposal is in line with improvements achieved in the various Boeing labor agreements signed over the last 18 months. These include those gains that were only resolved via a strike (IAM District 751 in Seattle and IAM District 837 in St. Louis) and those resolved without a labor stoppage (IBT Local 174 and IUOE Local 302, both in Puget Sound).

Boeing’s response thus far has only been that they’re considering our proposal. We have made clear that we are ready to conclude bargaining as soon as this week.

Members of the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) Negotiation Team are shown on the left, across from Boeing’s team. They started Main Table negotiations Dec. 9, to negotiate a new contract for more than 1,500 aerospace professionals.

WICHITA, Kan. – The bargaining team for SPEEA’s Wichita Technical & Professional Unit started talks today toward a new collective bargaining agreement with Boeing.

The WTPU represents more than 1,500 aerospace professionals working in non-engineering roles at Boeing-Wichita. Their current contract expires Jan. 31, 2026.

“This is a remarkable moment,” said Rich Plunkett, the spokesman for the negotiating team. “Twenty years ago, Boeing walked away from Wichita, as it pursued a goal of eliminating union workforces in order to give more cash to Wall Street.”

“Twenty years later, our union is still here, and we’re happy to welcome Boeing back to the Air Capital.

“Like Boeing today, our union’s goal is to ensure Wichita remains a global center for aerospace excellence, with this facility at its heart. We want Boeing airplanes to be the global gold standard of excellence.

“Doing this means attracting and retaining the most-talented people in the aerospace industry. Top talent deserves top pay, and our goal in these negotiations is to ensure that the workers represented by our WTPU have the best possible pay, benefits and working conditions.

“A successful reunification will be dependent upon the people of Boeing-Wichita. The first step in that process starts with us working together with management to achieve a contract we all can be proud of.”

SPEEA also represents some 1,000 aerospace engineers in Wichita, who are in a separate bargaining unit. They ratified their own most-recent contract in 2024.

If you’re interested in running for Executive Board president, treasurer and secretary, the election guide is now online.

Click here to see the Executive Board candidate nomination and election information, which includes eligibility along with timelines, a petition and other requirements.

About the Executive Board

The seven-member Board administers the affairs of SPEEA. The officers are elected in even-numbered years for two-year terms. They serve alongside four regional vice presidents, who are elected to two-year terms in odd-numbered years.

Newly seated officers will begin two-year terms on March 25.

New terms for Tellers Committees

Our union is also looking for members to run for seats on the Tellers Committees, which oversee union elections and processes. New two-year terms start April 1.

Click here to see the Teller candidate nomination and election information to run for this committee.

About the Tellers

In addition to union elections, Tellers work with the SPEEA comptroller to review the annual auditor’s report and monitor Council districts to ensure each district has enough Council Reps for the number of members in their area.

Timeline for petitions

Candidates for Executive Board and Teller must file petitions as part of the process to run for these positions. The period for submitting petitions is Jan. 14-28. See the election guides for more details, including requirements for candidate statements.

The fourth Negotiation Prep Committee (NPC) survey focuses on issues such as Paid Time Off (PTO)/vacation + sick leave, retirement, raise pools and on call work.

If you’re a current SPEEA member in the Prof or Tech bargaining unit, take the survey online.

Your participation strengthens our bargaining power.

The survey closes at 5 p.m., Dec. 31.

NPC Compensation and Retirement Town Hall

Interested in learning more about this month’s survey? Plan to attend a hybrid Town Hall, Monday, Dec. 8 at 4:30 p.m.

Click below for:

• In-person – email meetings@speea.org and indicate where you plan to attend (either SPEEA Everett or Tukwila).
• Online - Click here to register.

About the NPC

The NPC is a group of SPEEA members working with staff to do prep work for the Northwest Prof and Tech negotiating teams prior to next year’s contract talks with Boeing.

The committee is responsible for developing surveys to gain input from our union’s members about their priorities for the next contract. They are also directed with raising awareness about the SPEEA contract negotiations process.

If Prof and Tech members interested in applying for their bargaining unit negotiation team are having trouble identifying members to endorse them, email petitions@speea.org for access to a list of bargaining unit members in their district.

At the Executive Board meeting Nov. 20, the Board agreed to allow access to help members.

Reminder

The application is due by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30, for those interested in seeking a spot on the Prof / Tech Negotiation Team.

Each team will be elected by their Bargaining Unit Council at a Northwest Council meeting Feb. 12.

Click below for:

• Prof Negotiation Team application and petition
• Tech Negotiation Team application and petition

The Wichita Technical & Professional Unit (WTPU) Negotiation Team invites dues-paying members to take one more survey before contract talks start next month.

This survey is ONLY for dues-paying WTPU members. If you are a WTPU dues-paying member, access the survey here.

The survey is now closed

The deadline for responses is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

New start date for Main Table

The WTPU Negotiation Team plans to meet with Spirit to start Main Table negotiations on Dec. 9.

The team’s original plan was to start negotiations the first week of December. However, with all that’s going on regarding the reunification with Boeing, it made sense to push the start date back a week.

Valley Medical is still in the Embright Preferred Partnership Network. In the November Spotlite special section on Boeing open enrollment, we incorrectly stated Valley Medical is leaving Embright in the article: “Preferred Partnership: Plan reduces premiums, limits providers.” Valley has announced that it is separating its relationship with UW Medicine, but Valley will remain in the Embright network in 2026.

EVERETT – Congratulations to newly elected Council Rep Michael Robert Murphy who fills a vacancy in Everett District E-33.

Northwest Tellers counted ballots Nov. 12. Murphy will be seated at the Nov. 13 Northwest Council meeting.

Interested in running for Council Rep?

If you’re a SPEEA member in good standing for the previous 12 months, you can run for Council Rep in your workplace if there is a vacancy.

To find out if there’s a vacancy, click here to go to the ‘Find your Council Rep’ site. Look for your bargaining unit and district by site/building and floor.

For more information about the process to run for Council Rep, click here to look for the Council Rep Interim Election Guide.

This third survey from Negotiation Prep Committee (NPC) seeks input on the benefits package offered to the SPEEA Prof and Tech bargaining units at Boeing.

This survey asks questions related to Boeing’s medical, dental and vision plans and what matters most to Prof and Tech bargaining unit employees.

The survey closes at 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30.

Want to discuss more about this survey and the NPC? Attend one of the following NPC Benefits Town Halls:

• Everett only – Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m. RSVP – meetings@speea.org
• Online only – Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. Click here to register

The fourth and final NPC survey will be live for the month of December and will focus on compensation issues.

The Northwest Prof and Tech Bargaining Unit Councils are seeking applicants for their Contract Negotiation Teams.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must be a member of your bargaining unit in good standing.

Active SPEEA participation is preferred – such as Council Rep, Area Rep, committee member or Executive Board member – or other relevant activism.

Exceptions

No member of the SPEEA Tellers Committee (overseeing elections) or Judicial Review Committee (SPEEA’s final hearing body) may serve concurrently on the Bargaining Unit Negotiation Team. Also, no member of the Negotiation Nominating Committee may apply to serve on the Negotiation Team.

Application requirements

• Petition signed by at least 20 members of your bargaining unit
• Answers to questions provided by your Bargaining Unit Negotiation Team Nominating Committee

Click below for:

• Prof Negotiation Team application and petition
• Tech Negotiation Team application and petition

Submit to petitions@speea.org by 11:59 p.m. (PT), Nov. 30.

Optional

The Negotiation Team Application Orientation will be offered online only at 5 p.m. (PT), Nov. 11. This gives the applicant a better idea of the role, responsibilities and process for the team. Click here to register.

Next steps

The Prof and Tech Bargaining Unit Councils will elect their teams at the February Council meeting. The Prof and Tech contracts expire Oct. 6, 2026.

WICHITA – The Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) Negotiation Team has prepared a second survey that all WTPU SPEEA-represented employees are encouraged to fill out.

The WTPU survey - a follow-up to the one sent in September – covers health, safety and comfort issues; potential changes to workplace administrative procedures and it seeks guidance on possible ways to structure future pay increases.

Meet your negotiation team! Plan to attend one (or more) of the three lunchtime “Meet the Team” sessions: Monday, Nov. 3 at the HRSC Gymnasium Thursday, Nov. 6 in Bldg 1-198D, Conf Rm 200 Friday, Nov. 7 in Bldg 3-190O Auditorium All meetings are from 11 a.m. to noon.

Boeing has recently informed SPEEA that Aetna has determined there were material legislative, regulatory and/or funding changes that warrant a premium for the Boeing/Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan in 2026.

Starting January 2026, the cost per person per month will be $58.91

The ability for Aetna to implement a premium is covered in paragraphs two and three of the Letter of Understanding (LOU) signed between Boeing and SPEEA. The LOU is available here.

Excerpt from the LOU:

“Unless there are material Medicare Advantage funding, legislative, regulatory, CMS enforcement actions or enrollment changes, as determined by Aetna, this new plan will be offered in the form presented to SPEEA in July of 2023 (attached) with a $0 premium for five years, from 2024 through 2028.

If, during the first 5 years, there are material modifications that result in a modification to the plan benefits, the introduction of premiums, and/or replacement of the plan with another Medicare plan, eligible SPEEA-represented enrollees will be offered the exact same plan with the exact same premiums as offered to the Boeing non-union population.”

With the Negotiation Prep Committee (NPC) survey on Workforce issues now closed, we are ready for your input on Employee Relations issues in the Northwest Prof and Tech contracts.

This new survey seeks your opinions on issues related to child care, safety shoes, virtual work/telecommuting, Technical Excellence and the Ed Wells Partnership.

To have your opinion count, take the survey by 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, and encourage your SPEEA-represented coworkers to take it, too!

Employee Relations Town Hall - Oct. 16

Want to learn more about our NPC, the negotiations process and Employee Relations issues? Attend the virtual Town Hall on Thursday, Oct. 16. Click here to register.

Upcoming surveys (November/December)

• Benefits – Medical, dental, disability, life insurance, leaves of absence, etc.
• Compensation – Base pay increases, promotional funds, 401(k), vacation, sick leave, Employee Incentive Plan, shift incentives, etc.

About the NPC

The NPC is a group of SPEEA members working with staff to gather input from members about issues in our contracts and to raise awareness about those issues and the contract negotiation process.