Boeing engineers offer a contract; FAA grounds the 787

Boeing and its engineering union resumed talks this week, with the union making a “best and final offer” on Wednesday.

A Boeing spokesman said Wednesday it had received the contract offer from  the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001 and was reviewing it.

Both sides agreed to resume talks on Thursday.

Wednesday, Boeing engineers and technical workers marched on main streets near The Landing in advance of resumption of contract negotiations with Boeing.

Last week, Boeing presented SPEEA with a contract offer shortly after the long talks were resumed by a federal mediator for a cooling-off period over the holiday.

SPEEA on Wednesday proposed incorporating areas of agreement from ongoing negotiations into existing contracts and extending the agreements for another four years.

SPEEA’s offer would free Boeing and 23,000 engineers and technical workers from protracted and increasingly contentious negotiations that appear headed for a strike, according to a SPEEA press release.

It also allows the company and its technical workforce to focus on reaffirming confidence and proving the 787 is the reliable and safe product employees know it to be, according to SPEEA.

On Wednesday the FAA grounded all 787s over concerns about onboard fires.

Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney issued the following statement:

“The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.

“Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as quickly as possible. The company is working around the clock with its customers and the various regulatory and investigative authorities. We will make available the entire resources of The Boeing Company to assist.

“We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity.  We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787’s safety and to return the airplanes to service.

“Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and the inconvenience to them and their passengers.”

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