Boeing -- SPEEA; Ballots Counted Wednesday to Determine If Speea Rejects Offer.SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 30, 1999-- Ballots will be counted Wednesday Wednesday: see week. (Dec. 1) to determine if members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) is a major Boeing engineering employee labor union. It is often known for its massive member base. External links
SPEEA Seattle Professional Engineering Employees Association ) accept or reject The Boeing Company's final offer for a new contract. Contracts for the professional and technical bargaining units A bargaining unit in labor relations is a group of employees with a clear and identifiable community of interests who are (under U.S. law) represented by a single labor union in collective bargaining and other dealings with management. in the Pacific Northwest expire expire /ex·pire/ (ek-spi´er) 1. to exhale. 2. to die. ex·pire v. 1. To breathe one's last breath; die. 2. To exhale. Dec. 1. Calling the offer an insult in·sult n. A bodily injury, irritation, or trauma. insult Medtalk noun Any stressful stimulus which, under normal circumstances, does not affect the host organism, but which may result in morbidity, when it to technical workers, union leaders recommended members reject the offer. Rejection would force both sides back to the bargaining table. Counting starts at noon at SPEEA headquarters, 15205 52nd Avenue South, near Southcenter Mall. The media is welcome to come by SPEEA during the day to watch the count. Due to the number of ballots being counting, results are not expected before 7:30 p.m. SPEEA has gained more than 2,660 new dues paying members since details of the offer reached the workplace. Since August, the union has gained more than 3,600 new dues paying members. Boeing wants to impose significant reductions to the benefit packages now in place for the 23,000 SPEEA represented employees. The offer requires 10 percent medical premiums beginning Jan. 1, 2001; strips early retirement medical benefits for new and returning employees, and allows the company to mandate weekend work without overtime pay. While wage increases are included, union officials said too little of the money is guaranteed for the technical unit and none of the money is guaranteed for the engineering bargaining unit. The offer also lacks a bonus for technical workers. "These offers are an insult to the technical workers of the Boeing Company," said Charles Bofferding, SPEEA executive director. "The message to us is clear 'The Boeing Company does not respect its technical community.'" On Tuesday (Nov. 30), union leaders recommended workers in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, also known as the Air Capital of the World, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, as well as a major aircraft manufacturing hub and cultural center. reject The Boeing Company's final. The Wichita contract covers 1,350 workers and expires Dec. 5. Ballots will be counted in Wichita on Dec. 6. "This is a wake-up call for everyone," Bofferding said. "Our advice is simple. If people have a union they need to join it. If they don't have a union they need to form one." To check on balloting during the day please call Bill Dugovich at 206/650-6589. |
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