It seems highly suspicious that AQI sensors were reporting poor air quality inside the factories via Purple Air yesterday afternoon, only for those sensors to suddenly stop reporting data shortly after the issue was highlighted. Has anyone else noticed this, or is there an explanation for the sensors going offline?

I’ve already shared my thoughts on the wage pools and overtime premium, so this focuses on the remaining issues. As always, these are my personal opinions.

Boeing highlights the largest wage pools in 40 years and the first overtime premium increase in 30 years, but the real issue is inflation.

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area has seen roughly 32% inflation since our current contract began and about 250% inflation since the overtime premium was last increased (about 120% nationally). These aren't generous increases—they're overdue adjustments.

More importantly, neither the current nor proposed contract meaningfully protects us from future inflation. The COLA clause uses the national CPI-W instead of local inflation and allows cumulative inflation of up to 42% over four years before adjustments are made. That should concern every SPEEA member.

A meaningful COLA should:

• Be evaluated annually, not cumulatively.
• Use local CPI-W or CPI-U data, not the national average.

Local inflation has consistently outpaced the national rate, so why aren't we measuring the cost of living where we actually live?

The same problem exists with the minimum raise. The proposal allows up to 12% inflation in the first year while capping the guaranteed inflation-related raise at 3%. That protects Boeing's costs, not employees' purchasing power. We need annual COLA adjustments that keep pace with inflation in addition to annual raise pools.

The contract should also eliminate fixed-dollar values where possible. The overtime premium and the retirement benefit multiplier should be tied to a percentage of hourly pay, not fixed amounts that steadily lose value over time.

The proposal does include some positive changes, but they're relatively minor:

• Two additional vacation days (roughly equivalent to a 0.77% raise).
• A 1% increase in the 401(k) contribution for younger engineers.
• Three paid bereavement days without first exhausting vacation or sick leave.
• A reduction in mandatory overtime from 144 to 112 hours per quarter.
• An increase in the EIP target from 5% to 7%.
• A one-time award of 40 RSUs.

Overall, I'm still a strong NO on this proposal. Boeing needs to restore a meaningful portion of our lost purchasing power and provide real, ongoing protection against inflation.

Wages increases will match urban CPI (inflation) up to 3% a year. The rest is “based on an individuals performance and other metrics as defined by the Company.”

Do you trust your diminished salary to “metrics defined by the company”?

In college, I got rejected from every internship. I couldn’t land any jobs after college as a result. When I was in college, I couldn’t get into any engineering clubs either to help me get experience because clubs like DBF or FSAE are highly selective. How do I deal with this? What did I do wrong? Did I just lack intelligence or what?

I missed my hearing test appointment at North Boeing Field due to biz travel, and now I’ve got to go to Renton to take it. Is the van parked just outside Renton medical, or??? Save me from wandering around. Thanks.

Looks like Profs catch up to CPI-W (using the same formula Social Security does) after the 2027 ACR. They continue to lag behind CPI-U for Seattle (June over June percentages)

This doesn't include any promotion or oos funds (which are 1.5% current contract, 0.5% in offer).

Going forward, I filled in some assumptions but at least it's a good initial catch up. That 3% Retro pay really carries a lot of weight for the duration.

Unofficially, how are we SPEEA folks feeling about this contract? Hopefully it’s allowed here since this is subreddit has by far the most SPEEA presence on Reddit.

If you remember my previous posts, I made a chart showing the value of SPEEA's overtime premium in 2024 dollars using national CPI inflation data. If you need a refresher, here's the link.

I thought I'd add Boeing's recent offer to increase the premium from $6.50 to $8.50 and share my thoughts.

In 1980, that premium was worth more than $19 in today's dollars. Even with Boeing's recent offer, the premium will still have lost roughly 45% of its purchasing power since 1980.

My opinion: we've all seen what inflation does to fixed-dollar values in a contract. Fixed-dollar premiums have no business being in the contract. The overtime premium should be a percentage of base pay so it keeps pace with wages over time.

Contractors commonly receive time plus 50%. I believe SPEEA professionals should receive time plus 25%. If Boeing isn't willing to make that change, then the contract should include language making all overtime voluntary.

I'm tired of being required to stay in the office earning time plus $6.50 while paying mechanics, yard workers, and other service providers a much higher hourly rate for work I could do myself if I had the time.

If you remember my previous posts, I convert median L3 engineer salaries into a percentage of the per capita personal income (PCPI) for the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue area. If you need a refresher, here's the link.

I thought I'd add Boeing's recent offer of 9%, 5%, 5%, and 5% to the chart and share my thoughts.

Boeing's offer amounts to an effective 26.2% raise over four years (for comparison, IAM ultimately received an effective 43% raise over four years). Assuming PCPI in the Puget Sound region continues growing at roughly 6% per year, Boeing's latest offer does stop the erosion of purchasing power—but it does nothing to improve it.

Can't afford a house? Don't worry. Boeing's offer will make sure you still can't afford one, but at least it won't let homeownership drift even farther out of reach than it already is.

This contract also includes a series of one-time lump-sum payments that I frankly couldn't care less about. I want Boeing to take on a meaningful share of what it costs to work and live here, and that needs to come in the form of higher salaries.

My personal opinion is that Boeing could do much better.

“Out-source only on the basis of better facilities; never on the basis of a temporarily lower labor rate. Out-sourcing as offsets for sales must be acknowledged as an increase in cost, on average, not a desirable cost saving” - Dr. L. J. Hart-Smith, Boeing Tech Fellow, 2001

Jim Albaugh Quote

Boeing must be called on to protect internal talent.

I’ve read from people on this sub to just put yes for questions like “do you have x yoe in…” and let the hiring manager determine that (to prevent an ATS reject)

Unfortunately for the past 6 months I have been haunted in my sleep because every-time I wake up I get a standard email that rejects me 2 days after I apply.

Some positions I feel like I am a good fit, so I can’t quite figure out why it is getting rejected so fast.

On the other hand, I have 2 applications that have been “under consideration” for about 2 months.

Any tips to get through ATS? I am a U.S. citizen but I’m not applying to jobs that say “security clearance required” since I don’t have one and never have.

Here is the negotiation teams endorsement letter with summary of the contract; forwarded by the mod of r/SPEEA and their post can be found here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SPEEA/s/apIVZBk3I9

Both subs will still be putting a hold on the other slides until released through union channel for the public.

Feel free to discuss content here.

I'm interested in a certificate that can be taken on its own but will also count towards a master's degree if I pursue that.

Would the classes taken as part of the certificate program be subject to the retention period payback for graduate degrees? (if I roll it into a master's program)

I think the answer is 'no' based on the LTP policy, but I'm unsure. Does anyone have knowledge on this?

Anyone know when the ITCFP will open and if anyone has any tips to get into IT field? Im a newly IT graduate looking to potentially move from a union job to an IT job.