Fifty-nine pilot and flight simulator instructors at The Boeing Company voted by a 4-to-1 margin to join the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA)/IFPTE Local 2001 in an election that was certified today.

"We needed to have a stronger voice," said Mike Coker, safety pilot and member of the organizing committee. "Our group has a lot of experience, and we want to use it to ensure Boeing has the best training and support possible."

The victory more than doubles the number of pilots at Boeing who are represented by unions. The members, who mostly work in Renton, Wash., are responsible for all technical, safety and flight standards along with instructing in simulators.

A local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), SPEEA represents more than 25,700 aerospace engineers, technical workers, professionals and pilots.