WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Members of the second-largest union at Boeing Co.'s Wichita plant will vote next week on a four-year contract that includes a lump-sum payment upon ratification and guaranteed pay raises in three of the four years.þþNegotiators for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace agreed Wednesday to present the new proposal to union members for a vote July 7, but did not tell them whether to accept the deal.þþ``I cannot emphasize enough that we have gotten everything we can from the company without taking additional action,'' Steve Smith, chairman of SPEAA's Wichita Technical and Professional Unit, said in a news release. ``Now, it is up to the members to decide.''þþWichita workers twice have rejected offers from Boeing. In May, they authorized a strike. Union negotiators said Wednesday that a third contract rejection would result in a strike.þþ``We're obviously hoping the members will give it consideration and contemplation and keep the offer in perspective,'' Boeing spokesman Fred Solis said in a telephone interview. ``There are some things in there that weren't in there with the original offer back in March, such as the incentive plan.''þþIf the contract is approved, employees will receive a one-time bonus of $1,800 to be paid upon ratification. Salary increases would come from wage pools of 3.5 percent in the first year of the contract, and 3 percent in the second and third years.þþAlso, employees would be guaranteed raises of $750 in the first year, $500 in the second year and $750 in the fourth year, with no guarantee in the third year.þþSolis said the union and company would work out an incentive plan for union members if the contract is approved. The contract covers about 3,400 employees at the Wichita plant, who rejected a previous three-year offer in May with 70 percent opposing the deal.þþ
Source: NY Times
