Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, August 16, 2007 Four on SPEEA board face recall By Michelle Dunlop, Herald Writer Union members aren’t happy with the ousting of the union’s executive director, Charles Bofferding. EVERETT - Members of the Boeing Co.'s engineering union will decide the fate of board members who ousted the group's executive director in July. On Wednesday, members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace submitted petitions to recall four of the union's seven executive board members. The result of the vote could have direct impact on the union's contract talks with the Boeing Co. next year. Board members decide which members represent SPEEA in the negotiations. The four board members who would face a recall vote under the petition include Mike Dunn and Jill Ritchey, who serve as Northwest vice presidents on the board; Bob Wilkerson, who is SPEEA's treasurer; and Dave Baine, SPEEA's secretary. Many of the 20,000 union members in the Puget Sound area had been upset by the way the board dismissed former executive director Charles Bofferding, SPEEA President Cynthia Cole told The Herald in an interview Tuesday. The motion to terminate Bofferding did not appear on the July 10 meeting agenda. Because the meeting initially was scheduled as a closed session, few SPEEA members other than the board attended. "We typically involve the members in major decisions," Cole said. "That's what's rubbing members the wrong way." If the petitions contain signatures from at least 10 percent of SPEEA's active members, the union will mail out recall ballots shortly. The process of picking a new executive director continues despite recent board turmoil. SPEEA's interim chief of staff, Bill Dugovich, has said the union intends to have a new executive director in place by November. Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.

1. Shot ends search for man sought in killing of Seattle police officer 2. Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton 3. No charge will be filed in death of Everett pedestrian 4. Rain, thunderstorms forecast for lowlands 5. Bothell steamrolls Stanwood 6. PREP FOOTBALL/SWIMMING ROUNDUP: Halfback pass for touchdown sparks Sultan win 7. More jibba-jabba 8. Obama OK's homebuyer tax credit 9. Suspect identified in Seattle police killing 10. Dana nibbles into Somers’ lead 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Gough on track to keep job • Jazz vocalist headlines NPAC • Mountlake Terrace makes football history • Tax revenue sagging, city budgets lagging • ‘Touch of Magic' show opens at Gallery North • Jackson repeats as South champs • Holiday Bazaars Calendar • Meadowdale storms back to grab title • Edmonds moves to Fire District 1 • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million