17,000 Boeing Workers Vote on Contract as Strike Looms

Approximately 17,000 Boeing workers are voting on a new contract offer as the possibility of a strike puts Washington state's new unemployment benefits law for striking workers in the spotlight. Members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, or SPEEA, began voting on Boeing's latest four-year contract offer after rejecting an earlier proposal. Boeing's new offer includes an immediate 10% guaranteed wage increase after ratification, another 4% guaranteed increase during the 2027 compensation review and additional wage increases through 2030. SPEEA says the proposal would produce a 36.3% average compounded increase over four years for represented professional and technical workers. But if Boeing workers reject the contract and a strike occurs, Washington's new unemployment law could become a major part of the story. Beginning in 2026, eligible striking workers in Washington state can receive up to six weeks of unemployment insurance benefits while a strike remains in effect. Washington Policy Center's Elizabeth New argues that a large Boeing strike could put significant pressure on Washington's Unemployment Trust Fund. New calculates that if all 17,000 SPEEA workers were Washington unemployment claimants and each received six weeks at the state's maximum weekly benefit, the theoretical payout would exceed $123 million. That $123 million figure is not a projection of what a Boeing strike would actually cost. Not all 17,000 SPEEA-represented workers work in Washington, not every worker would necessarily qualify for unemployment benefits, and eligible workers could receive less than the maximum weekly benefit. The calculation illustrates the potential scale of a large Boeing strike under Washington's new law. Washington's unemployment insurance system is funded by employers. The Washington Employment Security Department says employers whose eligible workers receive unemployment benefits during a strike are charged 100% of those benefits. The Boeing contract vote therefore represents a potentially significant test of Washington's controversial new policy allowing eligible striking workers to receive unemployment benefits. Washington in Focus examines Boeing's latest contract offer, the potential Boeing strike, Washington's unemployment insurance system and what thousands of striking aerospace workers could mean for the state's Unemployment Trust Fund. Follow The Center Square for continuing coverage of Boeing, Washington labor policy, unemployment benefits, unions, business costs and the Washington state economy. Want the next important update by text? Get the Washington state government and policy developments worth your attention sent straight to your phone. Text TCSWA to 206-944-3016 or sign up here: https://joinsubtext.com/c/thecentersquarewa Msg & data rates may apply. #Boeing #BoeingStrike #SPEEA #Unemployment #WashingtonState #Labor #Unions #Aerospace #WashingtonEconomy #WashingtonNews #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus