SPEEA Hosts Annual Leadership Conference and Council Convention

President Matt Biggs addressing convention attendees

IFPTE President Matt Biggs and Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson were among the speakers at SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001's annual convention and leadership conference held on May 30-31 near Seattle.

Biggs, in his remarks to the full SPEEA Council before its business meeting, updated SPEEA activists and officers on the Trump administration's attacks against federal workers, including engineers and scientists represented by the IFPTE. He thanked SPEEA for its donation to the EDues system, which is allowing IFPTE members to continue their financial support of the union as it fights back for the workplace rights of the federal workforce. 

Earlier in the day, Biggs met with Council Reps and officers from SPEEA's Midwest unit to discuss issues surrounding Boeing's upcoming repurchase of Spirit AeroSystems and this fall's upcoming negotiations for SPEEA's Wichita Technical and Professional Unit. 

Henson was the closing speaker at the union's leadership conference. She praised SPEEA Council Reps and officers for being "passionate" in their desire to help their fellow workers. 

"Some of you are ferocious," she said. "I like that. Keep it up." 

President Biggs with Midwest council reps and officers.

Henson's remarks followed a day of training for some 140 SPEEA Council Reps on topics including grievance procedures, offensive bargaining, and ways to build worker power. 

The keynote speaker was IAM District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden, who talked about lessons learned during his union's 53-day strike at Boeing last year. Holden pledged his union's support during SPEEA's contract talks with Boeing in 2026.

SPEEA represents nearly 19,000 engineers, technical workers, pilots, and other professionals working at Boeing in Washington, Oregon, California, and Utah, and for Spirit at its campus in Wichita, Kansas. The annual convention and conference is the one time each year that SPEEA officers and Council Reps (who serve in roles similar to stewards in other unions) gather in one place for training, networking, and to hold a business meeting. 

At the meeting, Debi Pennington, a technical designer at Boeing's Everett site, was elected president of the SPEEA Council. R Matthew Joyce was elected Council treasurer, and Emily Forest Council secretary; both are engineers at Spirit AeroSystems.

IFPTE Legislative Director Faraz Khan, former IFPTE President/SPEEA Organizing Director, Paul Shearon, Local 12 President, Tiera Beauchamp, and Local 8A Fisheries Chapter President, Nick Tolimieri, were also in attendance.