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(Aug 27, 2009) WICHITA – Engineers rejected Spirit AeroSystems’ second contract offer by 93% and authorized their Negotiation Team to call a strike if necessary. Ballots were counted Thursday,
Aug. 27, after an all-member meeting.
 “This offer was even worse than the one members rejected by 91
% in July,” said Bob Brewer, Midwest director for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA),
IFPTE Local 2001. “The members said enough is enough – no more takeaways on pay, benefits and job security.”
With 85% of the SPEEA members casting ballots, 309 (93%) voted to reject the offer and 304 (92%) voted yes to approve strike authorization – giving the team leverage to
bring in a federal mediator to negotiate with Spirit
“The members have spoken very loudly – twice,” said Ray Goforth, SPEEA executive director. “My hope is that the company will start listening.”
SPEEA’s Wichita Engineering Unit (WEU) Negotiation Team recommended the members reject the contract offer which doubles medical premiums, eliminates minimum
wage increases, takes away overtime pay for the first four hours and shields temporary workers during periods of layoffs and shortened workweeks.
“We want to go back to the table to get this done right,” said Brewer. “The company needs to respect key contributors to their workforce.”
SPEEA started negotiations with Spirit in March on behalf of 775 engineers in the bargaining unit.
SPEEA, a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), represents about 24,700 aerospace professionals at Boeing in Washington
state, Kansas, Oregon, Utah and California, Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita, Kan., Triumph Composite Systems, Inc., Spokane, Wash., and BAE Systems, Irving, Texas.
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