Wed, Mar 24, 2004
Company, Union Go Back To The Drawing Board
Yesterday, ANN reported
that Monday's vote by union members at Boeing's Wichita facility
may reject the company's latest offer. It seems we were right on
target. Members of Boeing's second-largest union voted 3-to-1
Monday to reject the company's latest offer of a new three-year
labor agreement. The vote means Boeing and the Society of
Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) are headed
back to the negotiating table and a possible stalemate.
While the two sides are trying to reach agreement on a contract
that would cover 3,380 technical and professional workers in
Wichita, the company warned their best offer has already been
proposed. Nevertheless, labor talks are expected to resume in about
two weeks. In the next round of negotiation, Union leaders will
seek improvement to an offer they claim was inferior to what other
Boeing employee groups have received.
"We think they can and will do better," SPEEA Midwest director
Bob Brewer told the Wichita Eagle. "We've got a lot more confidence
in Boeing."
But Boeing is showing no willingness, at least publicly, to
sweeten its offer. "Our focus continues to be on balancing the
needs of employees with the company's ability to be competitive,"
Boeing spokesman Fred Solis told the newspaper. Solis indicated
that the manufacturer has delivered its final offer. "If, however,
SPEEA wishes to return to the table, we'll accept their invitation
and listen to what they have to say," Solis said.
One particular issue in
the rejected contract offer was health benefits. The proposal would
have raised health care premiums fivefold for many workers. Of the
1,223 SPEEA members who voted by mail, 74 percent, or 904 voters,
rejected the contract. In a non-binding vote, non-dues-paying
members of the unit also voted to reject the offer. Of the 739 who
voted, 508, or 69 percent, voted against the offer.
The next round of negotiations do not affect Boeing Wichita's
engineers, who belong to a separate SPEEA bargaining unit.
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