Boeing warns 100 local workers of layoffs
Published 11:39 pm Thursday, May 21, 2009
EVERETT — The Boeing Co. has slowed its pace in handing out pink slips to workers here in the Puget Sound region, with 100 employees to receive 60-day notices today.
The company’s Seattle-based commercial airplanes division has carried out about 40 percent of the job cuts it announced earlier this year, Scott Carson, who leads the division, told investors Thursday. Because of the economic downturn, Boeing plans to slash a total of 10,000 positions, 4,500 of those jobs in the commercial airplanes division.
Today, Boeing will dole out its latest round of monthly layoffs. Across the company, 300 workers will get 60-day notices, with about 100 of those in the commercial airplanes division, said Tim Healy, a Boeing spokesman. Although the bulk of Boeing’s commercial airplanes workers are here, the division has workers at other sites, including in Oregon.
The rate of layoffs has slowed since the first round of pink slips were passed out in late January and early February, when a total of 1,300 workers were laid off. In March, Boeing issued notices to 700 local employees and 200 elsewhere.
Besides layoffs, Boeing also has reduced its work force by holding positions open and by dismissing contract workers. Through the end of April, Boeing had shed 2,140 jobs in Washington. Boeing has cut its work force companywide by 5,041 positions since the end of October.
Boeing has said it may need to reduce its commercial airplanes employment even beyond the 4,500 positions when it slows production on its Everett-built 777 aircraft next year.
Workers who receive notices today could be out of work on July 24. But Boeing encourages employees to see if other opportunities exist in the company.
Today was supposed to be the last day of work for employees who received layoff notices in March. However, Boeing pushed back its final day to Tuesday to give those workers the Memorial Day holiday, Healy said.
For layoff and job search resources, go to www. heraldnet.com/joblosses.
