Boeing engineers and technicians approved a sweetened four-year contract with immediate 10 percent raises, averting a potential strike at the aerospace giant as it seeks federal approval for new planes and to increase aircraft production.
“We have achieved many victories that some thought were completely out of reach when this round of negotiations began,” said the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, which represents about 13,000 Boeing engineers and 4,000 technicians.
Boeing increased its offer in mid-September after workers rejected an earlier proposal. In addition to the ratified 10 percent salary increase, the four-year contract includes annual increases of 4 percent, with up to a 6 percent increase based on merit.
The professional unit, which includes engineers, voted 67.62 percent in favor of the new contract, and the technology unit approved the contract 53.48 percent in favor, the union said.
The labor groups, which make up Boeing’s largest white-collar union, overwhelmingly rejected an earlier offer of a 3 percent annual raise.
The approval allows Boeing to avoid a strike even as it tries to stabilize and increase production of its fast-selling jets and win federal approval for the 737 Max 10 and 777X, which are years behind schedule.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it was evaluating whether a software issue on the 737 Max 10, which could affect landing procedures in some scenarios, posed a flight safety issue.
Two years ago, a machinists’ strike halted production until the two sides reached an agreement.
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