Boeing engineering workers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace have returned to work after a six-week strike. The new contract, approved by 70 percent of voting members, gives the union most of what it wanted. The members will retain their current level of health-care benefits, and will receive annual raises of 3-4 percent plus bonuses tied to meeting production goals. Workers will receive $1,000 after 30 days, an additional $500 if Boeing delivers 225 planes in 2000, and 491 by March 1, 2001. If the targets are not reached due to factors outside the control of the union-covered workers, the bonuses will be paid anyway.

The strike was effective because it delayed the delivery of airplanes: only 18 were delivered, compared to 58 in the same period in 1999. Although the engineers are a small fraction of the approximately 200,000 workers employed by Boeing, they provide vital services, such as the interpretation of designs and technical drawings.

(Updated May 1, 2000)