Boeing presents first contract offer to engineers

SEATTLE -- Chicago-based Boeing Company has presented its initial contract offer to the union representing its engineers and technical workers. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace calls the offer incomplete and disappointing.

According to Boeing's Web site, the offer includes unspecified pay raises in each year of the three-year contract "through an annual salary adjustment fund." It also includes pension increases for current employees but proposes eliminating the defined benefit pension for new employees.

The union represents about 21,000 workers, mostly in the Seattle area and others in Oregon, Kansas, Utah and California. Chief SPEEA (SPEE'-uh) spokesman Ray Goforth says Boeing "continues to press for removing Utah engineers from the professional contract."

The union's two contracts expire on Dec. 1. An eight-week walkout by Boeing machinists ended Sunday.