Boeing job code changes – current active items

Currently, Boeing is proposing changes to several SPEEA-represented Skill Management Codes (SMC). SPEEA is investigating these proposed changes per our Prof and Tech contracts (article 22).

Current active items*

• New SMCs: 6G5E-XXX Technical Design-Interiors; Technical Design-Liaison;
  Technical Design-Systems; and Technical Design-Structures
• New SMC: 6HXX-XXX Tool and Equipment Engineer
• New SMC: 6HXX-XXX Tool and Equipment Technical Support
• New SMC: 6B1F-XXX Electronic and Electrical Technical Design - Electrophysics
  

*X indicates Occupation/Job Family and/or SMC will be determined

How SJC started
Soon after the merger and acquisition activity associated with McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell and Boeing in the 1990s, efforts began to assimilate the employment processes of the three. The Salaried Job Classification (SJC) system was created primarily to categorize work for the purpose of market comparison, but SMCs were added to allow for redeployment activity.

In the 1999-2000 SPEEA contract offers, including the final offer that ended the strike, Boeing proposed adopting the SJC system with certain caveats, including SPEEA’s participation in the process for future changes to classifications. The contract language provided SPEEA with one vote on the company’s SJC team. This was simply participation without veto authority.

Where we are today
Under the current contract, SPEEA continues to have a role in the SJC process. SPEEA gets to see proposed changes to SPEEA-represented jobs, raise questions or concerns, and cast a vote on the SJC Team. The SJC team usually meets once a month.

Applies to: Employees currently in SMC 6G5E-636

Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) has requested the creation of new SMCs in the 6G5E Job Family (“Technical Design”).

The company plans to separate the current Technical Designers in SMC 636 (Mechanical and Structural Design) into four new and separate SMCs: Technical Design – Interiors; Technical Design – Liaison; Technical Design – Systems; and Technical Design – Structures.

Boeing summary of request – October 2015: “Currently the 6G5E-SMC 636 Mechanical & Structural Technical Design skill is utilized across all major airplane program functions (Structures, Systems, Payloads…) in BCA. Employees classified in this skill all perform similar, precedent-based design work but they also develop unique skills and abilities that are aligned to the function and commodities they support. This request is to revise the SMC 636 and establish three new SMCs within the 6G5E job family to recognize those unique skills and abilities required to perform engineering design tasks in the major airplane program functions. The proposal is to retain the existing -636 SMC, Mech and Structural Design, for Structures TDs and create new SMCs for Payloads, Systems and Liaison. These new SMCs would also enable airplane functions to incorporate these new SMCs into their Functional Excellence plans and create clear development paths for employees.”

Potential impact: 852 members of the Technical unit.

SPEEA's letter to The Boeing Company responding to the proposed change, Nov. 17, 2015

Applies to: Employees currently in job families 6H6D (Tool Engineer) and 8AAG (Facilities Equipment Engineer)

BCA has requested the creation of a new Job Family and SMC in the 6H Occupation (“Def – Ops Integration & Support Engineering”) which will combine existing SMCs for Tool Engineers in job family 6H6D and Facility Equipment Engineers in job family 8AAG into a single SMC – “Tool and Equipment Engineer.”

Boeing summary of request – October 2015: “Currently Tool Engineers/Designers and Equipment Engineers/Designers both provide designs and oversee procurement of tools and equipment that is used in the factory to build Boeing products. Both groups have independent job families, SMCs, etc., that overlap and are duplicative of each other and don't allow integrated skills management for the same kind of work. Create a new job family for exempt engineers that integrates Equipment Engineers and Tool Engineers performing the same type of work.”

Potential impact: 560 members of the Professional unit