Engineers and technicians at Boeing have approved a new four-year collective agreement, avoiding the risk of a strike. The agreement includes an immediate 10% increase in wages and guaranteed raises over the next four years. The vote involved nearly 17,000 employees represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), the main union for white-collar workers at the American aircraft manufacturer. These employees primarily work in the Puget Sound region in the state of Washington, but also in other U.S. states. The engineering and scientific section of the union, which includes about 13,000 employees, approved the agreement with 67.62%. The technical section, consisting of approximately 4,000 analysts, technicians, planners, and specialists, approved it narrowly, with 53.48% of the votes in favor. According to the union, participation reached 96% among engineers and scientists, and 89% in the technical section. The agreement provides for a 10% wage increase starting October 2, followed by a guaranteed 4% increase in March. Over the following three years, wage envelopes must increase by 6% annually. Each employee will receive at least a 4% annual increase, while the remaining 2% will be allocated based on individual performance. Over the duration of the contract, the average wage increase is expected to reach 32%, according to information provided by Boeing and cited by The Seattle Times. The average annual base salary for engineers and scientists represented by SPEEA would rise from $152,000 to $208,000. For technical personnel, it would increase from $119,000 to $163,000. The first agreement proposal was rejected in August. It had provided for an average increase of 26.5% over four years, but a significant portion of the raises depended on performance-based allocations. It was rejected by 64% of the employees in the professional branch and nearly 72% of those in the technical branch. After the vote, SPEEA stated that they had achieved many advances that some considered completely out of reach at the beginning of this negotiation cycle. However, the union believes that rebuilding trust with management remains an open task. "We must work with Boeing and, if necessary, exert pressure on its leadership to create an environment that allows restoring the trust of members, which has eroded over the past decades," it emphasized. Boeing stated in a statement that it was "satisfied with the result of the vote." The agreement provides Boeing with a reprieve as it seeks to stabilize its production rates and obtain approval from federal authorities for several delayed programs. Boeing is particularly awaiting certifications for the 737 MAX-10 and 777X. The stakes are high after the more than seven-week strike conducted in 2024 by machinists represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). This movement had interrupted a significant portion of commercial aircraft production before an agreement was reached between the company and the IAM union. With the vote of engineers and technicians, Boeing thus avoids a new social movement that could further complicate the recovery of its production rates, in a context where it must deliver an important order book and restore confidence among regulators, airlines, and its employees.