Engineers at Boeing Wichita accepted the company’s offer to extend its current contract agreement, which included some amended changes, by two years.
The engineers are represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace.
Ninety-three percent of the members voting accepted the extension. The contract will expire Dec. 2, 2013.
“Without a clear vision for the future of the Wichita site, a contract extension was a good plan going forward,” said Joe Newberry, chairman of the four-member SPEEA Wichita Engineering Unit negotiating team.
The union expects a clearer picture of the plant’s business plan and what Boeing’s contract to build tankers for the U.S. Air Force will mean to the Wichita site when they return to the bargaining table in two years, said Bob Brewer, SPEEA’s Midwest director.
Metalworkers at Embraer in Brazil began a 24-hour strike to demand a wage increase of more than 17 percent, Reuters reports.
The workers were striking for the first time in 10 years to demand a shorter work week and higher wages.
Unemployment in Brazil is near a record low of about 6 percent, which gives the union more leverage to demand higher wages, teh report said.
Embraer, based in Sao Jose dos Campos, builds commercial and business jets.
Boeing and All Nippon Airways completed the contractual paperwork Sunday to deliver its first 787 to the airline today.
A delivery ceremony will be followed by a flyaway of the airplane on Tuesday.
The contract signing comes after a series of flights, inspections and transfer of funds, the company said.
“Now that the airplane is ready to deliver, the entire team is ready to celebrate,” Scott Fancher, Boeing vice president and general manager of the 787 program, said in a statement. “We look forward to honoring our launch customer ANA before they fly their first Dreamliner home to Japan.”
The festivities begin at 11 a.m. CDT. Boeing is hosting a live webcast of the event at www.newairplane.com. Video highlights will also be posted on the website
