SEATTLE Boeing delivers final contract to engineering, technical union

The union says the $75,000 salary earned by engineers isn't up to market standards.
SEATTLE (AP) -- The Boeing Co. is offering salary increases, pension boosts and a 6 percent ratification bonus in its "best and final" contract proposal for its engineering and technical workers union.
Employees also are asked to share more medical costs in the proposals for two of three contracts under negotiation by the Chicago-based aerospace company and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace.
SPEEA negotiators recommended approval of the two contracts.
The two sides are negotiating new contracts for three SPEEA-represented units that cover 18,900 engineering and technical workers in Washington state and Wichita, Kan., who work primarily in Boeing's Commercial Airplanes Group. The contracts expire next month. The Wichita pact is still under negotiation.
SPEEA contends its workers earn below-market salaries. SPEEA technical workers in Washington earn on average $53,469 annually, and the engineers make about $75,000. SPEEA workers in the Wichita unit earn an average $56,226.
About the proposals
Under the two proposals offered Tuesday, Boeing would provide guaranteed and merit raises for employees from a fund that is equal to 4 percent of the bargaining unit's total salary base in each year of the three-year contract.
All SPEEA-represented engineering workers would receive a raise of least 1.5 percent each year, with the remainder distributed as merit raises. For the technical unit, workers would receive a guaranteed 2 percent raise, with the rest given as merit raises.
The company also would give 6 percent contract-ratification bonuses, totaling about $4,800 for engineering workers and $3,430 for technical workers.
But the company also wants workers to shoulder more health-care costs. The amounts vary, depending on which of several coverage options are selected.