Contract talks for Boeing engineers extended

Contract talks for Boeing engineers extended

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Story Published: Nov 11, 2008 at 10:33 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 5:31 AM PDT

By TIM KLASS Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE (AP) - Contract talks covering nearly 21,000 Boeing Co. engineers, scientists and technical workers have been extended because of unresolved economic and other issues and could run into next week.

Boeing negotiators had planned to issue their best and final offer to the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace on Tuesday. Late Monday, however, both sides said the talks would continue at least through Wednesday.

The union issued a news release Tuesday evening saying the negotiations hit a "stumbling block" Tuesday in the form of incomplete responses from Boeing on a number of key issues and union proposals that it did not specify. But negotiations still were scheduled to continue Wednesday.

Both want to avoid a second strike at Boeing following an eight-week Machinists union walkout that ended Nov. 2.

Nearly 20,000 of the affected workers are in the greater Seattle area, and about 550 are in Oregon, Utah and California. A strike would not stop production but could block commercial aircraft deliveries because SPEEA members certify the planes' airworthiness.

"It remains our goal to complete negotiations later this week," said Doug Kight, Boeing's chief negotiator, in a prepared statement.

Karen M. Fincutter, a Boeing spokeswoman, said Tuesday the company was prepared to go longer.

"We're not on a strict schedule and we're not up against a deadline," Fincutter said.

The final phase of SPEEA contract talks began Oct. 29. The union's two contracts expire on Dec. 1. Top issues include job outsourcing, pay, retirement benefits and medical care, as well as prickly jurisdictional disputes in Ogden, Utah, and Palmdale, Calif.

Union spokesman Bill Dugovich said SPEEA's governing council could extend the timeline for submitting contracts for ratification votes by mail. Whatever their negotiators recommend, members will have the option of authorizing their leaders to call a strike.

"We're hopeful," Dugovich said. "If we can be productive at the table, we stay."

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