FlightGlobal
• Jon Hemmerdinger
Members of a Boeing engineers’ union voted down a proposed four-year employment agreement last week, leaving the parties without a defined path forward. The rejection raises the risk of fresh labor disruption after Boeing machinists walked off the job in 2024 and 2025.
Workforce & Skills Development
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Members of a Boeing engineers’ union voted down a proposed four-year employment agreement last week, leaving the parties without a defined path forward. The rejection raises the risk of fresh labor disruption after Boeing machinists walked off the job in 2024 and 2025.
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WestJet’s flight attendants have ratified a new three-year collective agreement with CUPE, winning 90.2% support and concluding negotiations on the cabin crew’s second agreement with the union. The deal follows a strike that grounded hundreds of flights in Canada earlier this month and addresses previously uncompensated work time.
Norway’s air traffic controllers reached an agreement with their employers on Monday, ending a strike that severely disrupted the country’s air travel over the weekend. The settlement removes an immediate constraint on flight operations, although airlines and airports must still manage the resulting schedule and passenger disruptions.
All Nippon Airways is introducing remotely controlled “newme” robots to answer passenger questions at Japanese regional airports with limited staffing. The deployment reflects how airlines are using telepresence and automation to maintain customer-service coverage as Japan’s workforce shrinks, without requiring permanent personnel at every station.
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Boeing engineers and technical workers have rejected the planemaker’s proposed four-year contract and authorized strike action, increasing the risk of a work stoppage if further negotiations fail. The dispute could add pressure to Boeing’s already delayed aircraft certification programs and broader production recovery efforts.
Engine backlogs, aging fleets and expanding use of digital maintenance are intensifying the aviation MRO talent shortage. Operators are being urged to strengthen recruitment strategies to ensure they have the technicians and skills needed to manage rising maintenance demands and increasingly technology-driven workflows.
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Members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace rejected Boeing’s “best and final” four-year contract offer and overwhelmingly authorized a strike. The union represents 17,000 engineers, scientists and technical workers, with the vote coming as Boeing approaches certification milestones for key aircraft models.
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Voting on Boeing’s contract offer to its largest white-collar union is set to conclude Friday, with results expected by mid-afternoon in Seattle. The outcome will indicate whether the company and union have secured a labor agreement covering a substantial portion of Boeing’s professional workforce.
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