Boeing has avoided a possible strike by about 17,000 engineers and technicians after those employees approved a new four-year contract. Two separate bargaining units of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace union endorsed the new agreement: the professional unit approved the deal with a 67.62% majority, and the technical unit accepted by a 53.48% margin.

In a statement, Boeing expressed satisfaction with vote’s outcome.

The previous contract was to expire on October 6, and the union members had voted to strike if a new agreement was not in place by that date.

The approved contract calls for union members to receive an initial 10% wage increase, and 4% annual raises plus merit-based increases each year from 2027 through 2030. According to SPEEA statements, it also includes new work-from-home policies and overtime limits for members of the professional unit.

The two sides appeared headed for a strike in August, when SPEEA members rejected an initial negotiated agreement. In the follow-up to that rejection, the union cited its members “deep mistrust of Boeing leaders”.

The final terms emerged in mid-September when Boeing apparently raised its offer concerning compensation and work rules.

In its statement on the new contract approval, SPEEA observed: “We need to work with Boeing, and as needed, pressure Boeing management through joint committees, forums and conversations within your groups, to rebuild an environment suitable for reestablishing trust with the membership that has eroded over the past decades. Without trust, Boeing and SPEEA will likely find ourselves right back where we were when we started this contract negotiation cycle.”

The two sides had been in negotiation for a new contract since July 1. It was the first time that Boeing and SPEEA had negotiated a full contract since 2012; union members approved contract extensions in 2016 and 2020.