SEATTLE — Boeing’s talks with a second union — its engineers — move into high gear Wednesday following a tentative pact to end a 52-day Machinists strike that has closed Boeing’s commercial jet factories, lowered profits and delayed plane deliveries.
Boeing hopes to avoid a strike by the union for 21,000 scientists, engineers, manual writers, technicians and other hourly workers.
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace includes workers Boeing needs to deliver aircraft because they certify the planes’ airworthiness.
SPEEA’s two current contracts expire Dec. 1. One covers about 14,200 scientists, engineers and other professionals with average salaries of $82,666 and the other covers nearly 6,700 manual writers, technicians and other hourly workers paid an average of $68,157. About 550 are in Utah, California and Oregon, and the rest are in the Seattle area.
