Boeing’s Survivor Benefits Awarded to Same-sex Spouses

Initial Denial of Benefits Rescinded

One of the largest global aircraft manufacturers in the world, Boeing, based in Chicago, announced on January 18, that it has altered its policies on providing survivor pension benefits to same-sex couples.

Boeing employs more than 82,000 workers in Washington state alone, and more than 174,000 worldwide.  Negotiations the week of January 14th with union representatives of Professional Engineering Employees in the Aerospace division and Boeing executives produced an agreement:

Recognizing Boeing’s commitment to equality without regard to sexual orientation, Boeing will extend pension survivor benefits to all spouses, as defined under either State or Federal Law whichever defines the same sex person as a spouse.

How R-74 Impacted Same-sex Benefits

Last November, Washington state voters approved R-74 or Referendum 74, the ballot initiative that affirmed the state legislative’s passage of a marriage equality bill.  Boeing’s married same-sex couples expected pension survivor benefits.  Governor Chris Gregoire last February signed the initiative, but Preserve Marriage gathered enough signatures for a referendum and the law never took effect, instead remaining on hold pending this past election.

During contract negotiations last November, Boeing executives told Ray Goforth, executive director of SPEEA’s IFPTE Local 2001 representing 23,000 Boeing engineers and technical workers (most are employed at Boeing in Washington state) that it intended to deny pension survivor benefits to its married same-sex couples. Since pensions are governed by federal law, and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) does not recognize same-sex couples, Boeing defended its position that even with passage of Washington state’s marriage equality law, the federal law would override the state statue. ( see “Boeing CanGo Fly A Kite,” Gay News from Gay Agenda, 08 Dec 2012).

Goforth and Union Pleased with Outcome

“We are satisfied that this language (in the agreement) protects same-sex spouses,” said Goforth, who on November 21st, was once again trying to get equal pension benefits for same-sex domestic partners at Boeing.  After Boeing initially denied the benefits, an online petition at Change.org urged the company to change its position, received over 79,000 signatures.