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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Boeing union survives challenge in Kansas By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT -- In a test of the labor group's might, the Boeing Co.'s engineers union narrowly won a challenge Tuesday to its representation in Kansas. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace represents about 2,327 technical workers at Spirit Aerosystems, a key Boeing supplier. The union's professional and technical workers in Wichita voted 1,073 to 895 keep union representation at Spirit. Tuesday's vote does not affect the 675 Spirit engineers also represented by SPEEA. The labor group begins talks with Boeing this fall to negotiate a new three-year contract for its engineers and professional workers in the Puget Sound region. SPEEA represents about 24,000 engineers and technical workers across the country at companies including Boeing, Spirit, BAE Systems and Triumph Composite Systems. A key concern of SPEEA's Spirit members was their exclusion from a company bonus. Union leaders have said the bonus will be part of its mid-contract discussions with Spirit. SPEEA's contract with Spirit does not expire until 2011. However, their agreement calls for the union and aerospace manufacturing company to discuss wage and benefit increases this summer. This isn't the first time SPEEA's representation has been challenged. A small group of SPEEA engineers in Utah voted in January to retain union representation. Last summer, workers at a Boeing defense site in Kansas ended their union representation by a 408-353 vote. The loss prompted SPEEA board members to fire their executive director -- a move that led to a major shakeup of union leadership. Ray Goforth stepped into the role of executive director in February and will help guide the union as it prepares for talks with Boeing this year. SPEEA already has lashed out at Boeing over the aerospace company's proposed changes to pension plans and health insurance. On Tuesday, Boeing announced it will offer a new retirement plan for nonunion employees hired or rehired after Jan. 1, 2009. The company has said it's pushing for a more portable retirement savings plan, similar to a 401(k) plan, for workers. Neither SPEEA nor Boeing's Machinists unions like the move. The Machinists blasted Boeing's announcement, calling Tuesday a "sad day" for nonrepresented workers.

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