Boeing Unilaterally Amends Medical Plan, Leaving SPEEA Family Without Coverage for In-Home Care

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The family of a 15-year-old girl will lose necessary in-home nursing care just days before the holidays as a result of The Boeing Company making a unilateral amendment to medical plans with the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001.

“This is why we work so hard in negotiations to get details nailed down in the contract”

“Boeing did not negotiate this change with SPEEA,” said Ray Goforth, SPEEA executive director. “I cannot overstate how irresponsible this is for Boeing to give this family 10 days notice they are cancelling the medical care they have come to depend on.”

The youth, who suffers cerebral palsy and other disabilities, requires assistance with breathing, feeding, medication, repositioning and daily living tasks. The medical plan will no longer cover the family’s in-home care after Saturday (Dec. 22).

Since Boeing self-funds its employee medical plans, every penny the company does not pay out for medical services is another penny of corporate profit.

“This is why we work so hard in negotiations to get details nailed down in the contract,” said Tom McCarty, SPEEA president. “Members shouldn’t have to worry that this could happen to them.”

The SPEEA contract expired after being extended to Nov. 25. Talks are scheduled to resume Jan. 9. With members frustrated by Boeing’s push to cut raise pools, shift medical costs onto employees and eliminate the pension for future hires, the union is preparing for a possible strike. Three training sessions have already been held for potential picket captains. A fourth session is scheduled after the New Year. A strike by SPEEA would keep 15,550 engineers and 7,400 technical workers off the job and stop Boeing from delivering aircraft.

A local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), SPEEA represents 26,560 aerospace professionals at Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan., and Triumph Composite Systems, Inc. in Spokane, Wash.