Boeing, SPEEA kick off contract talks with "reasonably productive discussions"

The final phase of talks between Boeing and the white-collar union representing 21,000 Boeing engineers and technical staff kicked off with two hours of initial presentations this morning at the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel.

In a brief text message sent to interested parties, Ray Goforth, executive director of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), said the opening session produced some "reasonably productive discussions."

The two parties will discuss the new contract issue by issue, and Boeing plans to deliver a formal offer Nov. 11. The union will conduct a mail-in ballot before the current contract expires Dec. 1

Across the table from Goforth at the Doubletree was Boeing Vice President Doug Kight, who returned to Seattle on Tuesday after hammering out an agreement with Machinists union leaders in Washington D.C. Machinists will vote on that agreement Saturday to determine if their strike ends.