Boeing layoffs increase

Published 7:44 am Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Today is a busy Boeing news day with the company’s earnings report, 787 cancellations and EADS dropping out of the Air Force One competition.

So, don’t overlook this morning’s story about Boeing handing out layoff notices to 190 workers in its Shared Services Group. That’s in addition to the 4,500 jobs the company announced it plans to cut from Boeing Commercial Airplanes and the 800 defense jobs it will shed in Wichita.

Overall, of course, 5,500 positions isn’t drastic when you consider Boeing employed more than 162,000 people worldwide at the end of 2009. But it’s worth keeping an eye on.

UPDATE: Boeing’s Jim McNerney says the company expects to cut about 10,000 jobs total.