SPEEA Announces Tentative Agreement with Spirit AeroSystems
The Wichita Engineering Unit (WEU) Negotiations Team is shown here, from left (front): Ben Blankley, Laura Dame Santry and (back): Chris Streckfus, Midwest regional vice president, R Matthew Joyce, Derek Milligan and Brennan Macklin. They are SPEEA members and Spirit employees who stepped up to represent their coworkers in contract negotiations.
WICHITA, Kansas -- The bargaining team for SPEEA’s Wichita Engineering Unit has reached a tentative agreement with management at Spirit AeroSystems on a new four-year contract.
The agreement would increase the amount of money available for wage increases for Spirit engineers by at least 19% over four years – with provisions for greater increases if needed to keep up with labor market conditions.
The deal also includes a guaranteed minimum 5% bonus in the spring of 2025 and raises the amount Spirit will contribute to the vast majority of workers’ 401(k) retirement funds in 2026.
The union’s negotiating team recommends acceptance, saying the draft agreement addresses the priorities identified by members of SPEEA’s Wichita Engineering Unit.
“While negotiations always involve give and take, the team unanimously recommends the offer based on the significant improvements in key areas, including wages, benefits and work-life balance,” said Rich Plunkett, SPEEA’s director of strategic development and the lead spokesperson asdffor the negotiating team.
Along with the improved pay and retirement benefits, the draft agreement would also improve time off for vacations or sick leave and paid leave for new parents. It also includes a letter of understanding defining a new quality partnership between Spirit, SPEEA and the Federal Aviation Administration, and a second letter that would assist in preventing retaliation against engineers who report quality or safety problems.
The contract would cover more than 1,000 engineers at Spirit’s Wichita site. SPEEA also represents more than 1,600 professional and technical workers at Spirit. They work under a separate contract that expires in January 2026.
Talks between SPEEA and Spirit management began Sept. 17. The two sides resumed negotiations this week after a three-week pause.
Next Steps
SPEEA will conduct a mail-in vote on the offer. Ballots will be mailed to union members on Nov. 14 and will be due back by Nov. 25. Only dues-paying members will be able to vote.
The union will post the complete contract offer on its website next week for members to review. It will hold lunchtime meetings to discuss details starting the week of Nov. 18.
Nov. 1, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Bryan Corliss (425) 327-3512
SPEEA – the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace -- represents more than 19,000 engineers, technical workers, and pilots at Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas and Boeing facilities in Washington, Oregon, California, and Utah. It is affiliated with the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers as IFPTE Local 2001.