Members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) ratified a new four-year labor contract with The Boeing Company (BA) on October 1, 2026, securing immediate wage increases and removing the threat of a work stoppage that could have stalled critical aircraft certification programs.

The agreement covers approximately 17,000 engineers, scientists, and technical workers primarily based in Washington state, with additional personnel in Oregon, California, and Utah. According to reporting by Reuters and the Everett Post, the ratification ensures uninterrupted work on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification processes for the Boeing 737 MAX 10 and Boeing 777X. The vote concluded just days before the previous contract was scheduled to expire on October 6, 2026.

Contract terms and voting breakdown

The SPEEA membership is divided into two distinct groups: a Professional Unit comprising approximately 13,000 engineers and scientists, and a Technical Unit representing roughly 4,000 analysts, designers, and technicians. Both units voted to accept the revised contract offer presented by Boeing on September 17, 2026.

According to the Everett Post, the Professional Unit approved the agreement by a margin of 67.62 percent, with 7,895 members voting in favor and 3,780 against. The Technical Unit passed the contract by a narrower margin of 53.48 percent, with 2,061 votes in favor and 1,793 against.

The ratified contract includes a guaranteed 10 percent wage increase that takes effect on October 2, 2026, followed by a guaranteed 4 percent increase in March 2027. For the years 2028, 2029, and 2030, the agreement establishes 6 percent wage pools, with a guaranteed minimum increase of 4 percent each year.

The Everett Post reported that over the life of the four-year contract, average pay for union-represented engineers is projected to reach $208,000, up from $152,000. Average pay for technicians is projected to increase from $119,000 to $163,000.

The agreement also reduces mandatory overtime limits. The quarterly cap for the Professional Unit drops from 144 hours to 96 hours, while the Technical Unit limit decreases to 112 hours.

Averting certification delays for the 777X and 737 MAX 10

The successful ratification removes a significant operational risk for Boeing as the manufacturer works to increase commercial aircraft production and secure regulatory approvals. The engineering and technical workforce is essential to completing the FAA certification milestones for the delayed Boeing 737 MAX 10 and Boeing 777X programs.

In September 2026, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg highlighted the critical nature of the negotiations during an address to investors.

Let me be clear, we are working very hard to try to avoid any kind of a work stoppage. That is our key priority because the impact would be significant. Essentially, the 777-certification program shuts down until we get the engineers back, and it would have a ripple effect into our production.

Following the vote on October 1, 2026, Boeing Vice President and Functional Chief Engineer for Production Engineering Ben Nimmergut issued a statement regarding the outcome.

We are pleased with the outcome of the vote. We look forward to working with our team to support our company’s continued recovery and meeting our customer commitments now and into the future.

The SPEEA Negotiation Team also addressed the membership after the results were tallied, noting the gains achieved during the bargaining process.

We secured many victories that some people thought were completely out of reach when this negotiation cycle started. All of these gains would not have been possible without your individual actions and our collective strength.

Labor relations following the 2024 machinists strike

The October 1, 2026 ratification concludes a tense negotiation period. On August 21, 2026, SPEEA members overwhelmingly rejected Boeing’s initial contract offer. According to KIRO 7 News, the Professional Unit rejected the first proposal by 64.3 percent, and the Technical Unit rejected it by 71.9 percent, with both groups simultaneously authorizing a strike.

The prospect of an engineering strike followed a period of labor unrest for the aerospace manufacturer. In the fall of 2024, a seven-week strike by Boeing machinists suspended production of key commercial aircraft, including the Boeing 737, 767, and 777 lines.

Financial markets responded positively to the averted strike. Mint reported that Boeing shares increased by 3.4 percent on Thursday following the contract ratification.

AirPro News analysis

The ratification of the SPEEA contract removes a major operational bottleneck for Boeing at a time when the manufacturer is heavily focused on stabilizing production rates and clearing regulatory hurdles. A work stoppage by the engineering workforce would have immediately stalled the FAA certification timelines for the 737 MAX 10 and 777X, pushing back delivery schedules and straining airline customer relationships. By securing a four-year agreement, we believe Boeing gains the workforce stability required to execute its near-term commercial aircraft recovery plan, even at the cost of significantly higher engineering payroll expenses.

Akkodis has finalized its acquisition of the Airbus-dedicated engineering division of SOGECLAIR, absorbing 366 specialized engineers across six countries to expand its aerostructures and cabin engineering capabilities.

The transaction, announced in a press release on October 1, 2026, positions the digital engineering subsidiary of The Adecco Group to capture a larger share of large-scale engineering outsourcing programs in the commercial aerospace sector. The completed transfer covers operations in France, Spain, Germany, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, while the transfer of business units in the United States and Tunisia remains pending regulatory approval.

Strategic expansion and capabilities

The integration of SOGECLAIR’s Airbus-focused engineering activities brings established expertise in aerostructures, mechanical engineering, and industrialization into the Akkodis portfolio. Akkodis, which currently employs 40,000 engineers and digital experts globally, intends to merge these traditional industrial engineering capabilities with its existing digital engineering services.

Jo Debecker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akkodis, outlined the strategic rationale for the acquisition.

“This acquisition supports Akkodis’ ambition to become the engineering partner of choice for leading aerospace and defense companies by bringing together digital engineering and industrial engineering expertise. With SOGECLAIR’s recognized capabilities in aerostructures, mechanical engineering and industrialization, we are positioned to offer our clients greater value across the full product lifecycle as a strategic engineering partner.”

SOGECLAIR’s strategic realignment and market consolidation

The divestment process began on May 18, 2026, when SOGECLAIR first announced it was considering the sale of its Airbus-dedicated engineering activities. The two companies officially signed the divestment agreement on August 5, 2026.

For SOGECLAIR, a technology company listed on Euronext Growth Paris, the sale is part of a broader strategy to pursue diversification into the defense and business aviation sectors. The company cited an ongoing phase of consolidation within the aeronautical engineering market as a primary driver for the divestment.

Despite the sale of this specific engineering unit, SOGECLAIR maintains a significant relationship with the European airframer. Airbus remains among SOGECLAIR’s top five customers, primarily supported through the supplier’s industrial thermoplastics activities, which include the production of wing access panels.

AirPro News analysis

The acquisition highlights a broader trend of consolidation among Tier 2 and Tier 3 aerospace engineering suppliers. As major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Airbus seek to streamline their supply chains and reduce the number of direct interfaces, they increasingly favor large, integrated engineering partners capable of handling massive outsourcing programs. By absorbing SOGECLAIR’s specialized Airbus unit, Akkodis not only secures a direct pipeline of skilled talent in a tight labor market but also elevates its tier status with one of the world’s two dominant commercial aircraft manufacturers. For SOGECLAIR, shedding a highly concentrated, single-customer engineering unit frees up capital to target higher-margin niches in defense and business aviation, where specialized thermoplastic composites offer a stronger competitive moat.

Aero Norway has secured its first maintenance contract for CFM International LEAP engines, signing a multi-year offload agreement with GE Aerospace to repair high-pressure turbine modules at its Stavanger facility.

Announced on October 1, 2026, the deal marks a strategic expansion for the ITP Aero subsidiary beyond its legacy CFM56 focus. The agreement provides GE Aerospace with critical third-party capacity as the LEAP engine family enters its first major cycle of performance restoration shop visits.

Expanding the open MRO ecosystem

The contract specifically covers high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor and HPT stage 2 nozzle assemblies for both the CFM LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B variants. Aero Norway previously held a CFM International license for LEAP maintenance but is now officially activating its physical repair capabilities through this module agreement.

In a press release issued by the company, Aero Norway Chief Executive Officer Neil Russell described the contract as a significant milestone in the facility’s transition to next-generation propulsion systems.

“Together, our objective is to expand capacity within the ecosystem, delivering efficient, high-quality engine MRO support to customers. This agreement reflects the confidence placed in Aero Norway’s highly skilled technicians, as well as our steadfast commitment to quality.”

GE Aerospace is actively expanding its network of third-party maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers to address industry-wide capacity challenges. Flavio Gregorio, Vice President of CFM LEAP and RISE Programs at GE Aerospace, stated that the partnership reflects a commitment to working with technically astute providers to support high engine availability for commercial operators.

ITP Aero’s aftermarket consolidation

The GE Aerospace contract follows a period of structural change for the Norwegian facility. In February 2026, Spain-based ITP Aero completed its acquisition of Aero Norway to strengthen its position in the global aerospace aftermarket and expand its European MRO capabilities.

ITP Aero has been steadily growing its aftermarket footprint across multiple engine platforms. This expansion includes entry into the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network and the acquisition of BP Aero in the United States.

Alan Jones, Executive Vice President of MRO at ITP Aero, noted that the LEAP agreement demonstrates how the parent company is building complementary capabilities across its group to meet surging demand.

“This agreement is another example of how the ITP Aero Group is scaling its MRO footprint and capabilities in line with the evolving needs of the market. CFM LEAP is a key growth engine for our MRO strategy.”

Addressing the narrowbody maintenance crunch

The CFM LEAP engine family, produced by the 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, succeeded the ubiquitous CFM56. The LEAP-1A powers the Airbus A320neo family, while the LEAP-1B equips the Boeing 737 MAX family.

According to industry data reported by AviTrader, there are currently over 8,000 active CFM LEAP engines in service globally, with a production backlog exceeding 10,000 units.

The narrowbody engine MRO market is currently constrained by capacity shortages, supply chain disruptions, and long lead times for life-limited parts. The rapid influx of early-delivery LEAP engines requiring their first performance restoration shop visits has forced original equipment manufacturers to offload module repairs to trusted independent facilities.

Aero Norway has traditionally focused on legacy CFM56 engines, specifically the CFM56-3, CFM56-5B, and CFM56-7B variants. Transitioning to the LEAP platform ensures the Stavanger facility remains integrated into the next generation of narrowbody propulsion maintenance as the CFM56 fleet gradually ages out of peak shop visit cycles.

AirPro News analysis

We view GE Aerospace’s decision to offload specific high-pressure turbine modules to Aero Norway as a necessary pressure-release valve for the strained LEAP MRO network. The HPT section is highly stressed and requires intensive maintenance during performance restoration shop visits. By breaking down full shop visits and distributing module-level repairs to specialized third-party facilities, OEMs can alleviate localized choke points. This distributed approach is critical for keeping turnaround times manageable and maintaining engine availability for airlines currently facing severe narrowbody aircraft shortages.