By Scott Hamilton • Editor at Large
September 21, 2026
Union members’ reaction to the second Tentative Agreement (TA) between SPEEA and Boeing is mixed on social media.
SPEEA is the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, representing engineers and technicians. Each group has a contract with Boeing, negotiated by SPEEA. The current contract expires October 6. The first TA, endorsed by negotiators on both sides of the bargaining table, was overwhelmingly rejected by both union groups, and both endorsed a strike if they don’t reach a new contract before midnight on October 6.
So far, comments on Facebook and Reddit by union members are mixed. This contrasts with nearly unanimously negative reactions to the first TA.
Not all members commenting on social media identify their affiliation. Those who do are overwhelmingly technicians.
The objections may be summarized as follows:
A few engineers wrote that they will vote “no” in solidarity with the technicians. One, who goes by the screen name MysteriousAffect3903, is representative.
“I’m a no vote to an almost yes, but still no. My concern is the techs still don’t seem happy, and I don’t want the profs [engineers] to vote yes and the techs no. I’m a prof, voting no out of solidarity. No one has to agree with this or my reasoning, just my take.”
The contract red-line agreements showing the details of the new TA were released Thursday. SPEEA’s Bargaining Unit Councils (BUCs), one for the engineers and one for the technicians, meet this week to review the contracts. The technicians’ BUC recommended rejection of the first TA; the engineers’ BUC fell two or three votes short of the 60% requirement to make a recommendation. But the vote favored rejection.
Before the BUCs’ review, Leeham News & Analysis (LNA) was told the engineers may accept the contract, and the technicians’ vote is too close to call.
Electronic voting begins this Thursday and concludes at noon on October 1. Results will be announced that day.
on the other side of the pond, Airbus is expanding their single aisle wing production to meet a production rate of 75 a month
“Airbus says it is investing £150 million ($200 million) on converting a former A380 wing facility at its site in Broughton, Wales, to build wings for the A321neo. Jerome Blandin, Airbus’ head of wing, said the investment underpins Airbus’ global ramp up towards rate 75”
Facts Only
* SPEEA is the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace.
* Each group has a contract with Boeing negotiated by SPEEA.
* The current contract expires October 6.
* The first Tentative Agreement was rejected by both union groups, who endorsed a strike if no new contract was reached by midnight on October 6.
* Comments on social media by union members are mixed.
* Some commenting members identify as technicians.
* One engineer expressed voting "no" in solidarity with the technicians.
* The technicians’ BUC recommended rejection of the first TA.
* The engineers’ BUC fell short of the 60% requirement for a recommendation but voted for rejection.
* Electronic voting begins Thursday and concludes at noon on October 1st.
* Airbus is investing £150 million ($200 million) to convert an A380 wing facility in Wales to build wings for the A321neo, aiming for a production rate of 75 per month.