I support the SPEEA strikers. I hope they prevail. I will be glad

for them but I will be more pleased for me. If Boeing succeeds in their

efforts to change the benefit package for the engineers, I know my benefits will

be next.

Recently the Xerox Company implemented the same type of

medical benefit plan giving a lump sum to its employees and “letting” them

purchase their own medical coverage, under the guise of allowing a

wider range of choices for the employee. Problem is, individuals pay a lot

more for medical insurance, if they can find a plan to cover them at all.

Xerox is known as an industry standard-setter, paving the way

for other corporations to follow. Boeing will start the trend here and local

businesses will be right behind. This means you and me and most of us won’t

have a union behind us when we want to complain.

For SPEEA this is the real issue; yes, this is a money issue but it

means a lot more than a few dollars in raises that Boeing has offered. Support

those engineers because they are you.

Marcia Korich

Snoqualmie