Union takes protest to Boeing’s HQ

Associated Press

CHICAGO — About a dozen members of an engineering union gathered in below-freezing cold outside Boeing Co. headquarters Tuesday to protest the company’s treatment of its workers.

Bill Dugovich of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace said it was important for the union to make the point that despite the relocation of Boeing’s headquarters staff away from its factories, the union will be present in Chicago.

Dugovich said the picketing was triggered, in part, by last week’s unanimous contract rejection by 140 Boeing employees in Irving, Texas, because of inadequate salary increases. The union’s contract expires in December.

Boeing officials said last week they felt the offer was balanced and competitive with the Irving market.

"We anticipate a tough negotiation," Dugovich said, adding Boeing will not bully its smallest bargaining unit. "We’re here for all Boeing technical units."

In a statement, Boeing pointed out the role of its world headquarters is focused on strategy and resource allocation.

"We believe that the union leadership should redirect their energies to working together with the business leaders for Boeing Commercial Airplanes based in Renton, Wash.," the statement said.

SPEEA, which represents 24,900 Boeing workers in several states, also is protesting Boeing’s initiatives that the union claims have threatened members’ jobs. They include a pending decision to close a parts plant in Spokane, an averted decision to shut the 717 assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif., and a move to shift more work on the 737 tail from Boeing’s plant in Wichita, Kan., to China.