Jobs lost as Boeing goes global

By Bryan Corliss

Herald Writer

The Boeing Co. is eliminating 160 Everett engineers and moving the work they do to the company’s design center in Russia, the union for engineers and technicians said Friday.

Boeing spokesmen acknowledged that work now done here is being sent to Moscow, but claimed it’s part of commitments made to Russian officials well before the post-Sept. 11 layoffs were announced.

But there’s not a one-to-one link between the people being laid off here and the jobs being created there, Commercial Airplanes Group spokesman Tom Koehler said.

"It’s not as simple as saying the jobs are going to be moving to Moscow," he said. "It’s a little bit more complicated."

But it seems pretty cut and dried to officials at the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, who say the shift is exacerbating hard feelings caused by the ongoing layoffs.

"It’s hitting some of our people very personally," said Pat Waters, an Everett engineer who serves on the union’s national council. "Does this have an impact on morale, or what?"

The engineers affected do structural work on Everett-built wide-body jets — 747s, 767s and 777s, the union said. That covers a range of tasks involving the structure of the plane, such as determining how moving the location of a lavatory would affect overall performance.

"These aren’t shop jobs," Waters said. "These are engineering jobs."

According to the union, the work done by 160 engineers here will be phased out by the end of next year and moved to Moscow. Union spokesman Bill Dugovich said the information came from memos distributed by the company to employees in the Everett group.

That’s not the case, said Koehler and fellow Boeing spokesman Chuck Cadena.

While Boeing does plan to move work to Moscow, "no specific decisions have been made" as to what kinds of work will be shifted, Koehler said.

Boeing has about 300 engineers in Moscow now and plans to add fewer than 100 to the workforce this year, Koehler said.

The jobs in Everett are being eliminated for a number of reasons, including the slump in orders caused by the post-Sept. 11 airline industry crisis, Koehler said. So to say the jobs are being eliminated solely to send work to Russia is not accurate, he added.

At the same time, Boeing is moving to become more global, Koehler said.

Boeing sells the majority of its planes overseas, he noted. Because of that, "we need to do business in those areas."

Doing that means "we’re able to use talented people," he said. "We’re able to gain market access."

The move fits Boeing’s goal to focus its Puget Sound efforts on large-scale systems integration, while shifting small-scale work elsewhere, Cadena said. And it reduces the company’s overall cost structure, he said.

According to the union, Boeing spends an average of $120 an hour on wages and benefits for U.S. engineers, but only $40 an hour for their Russian counterparts.

Waters and Dugovich said union engineers are uncomfortable with a number of aspects of the proposal. Working with the Moscow center means working with people in another time zone, another language and unknown skill levels.

Those are issues, but "they’re nothing new," Cadena said. "It’s a challenge we’ve been faced with before."

You can call Herald Writer Bryan Corliss at 425-339-3454

or send e-mail to corliss@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Alina Langbehn, 6, center, and Vera A., 6, right, sit on a swing together at Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park after school on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council votes to renovate Drew Nielsen Park

Construction on the $345,000 upgrade could start as early as this fall.

Northshore School District bus driver Stewart O’Leary pictured next to his buses shattered drivers side windshield on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Put me in, coach’: Bus driver back at work after struck by metal bar

Stewart O’Leary, a Northshore employee, has received national attention for his composure during a frightening bus trip.

Lynnwood councilor Joshua Binda speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Does the Lynnwood Council VP live in Lynnwood? It’s hard to say.

Josh Binda’s residency has been called into question following an eviction and FEC filings listing an Everett address. He insists he lives in Lynnwood.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

An American Robin picks a berry from a holly tree on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Calling all birders for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Audubon Society will hold its 28th annual Great Backyard… Continue reading

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

Aaron Kennedy / The Herald
The Joann Fabric and Crafts store at 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett, is one of three stores in Snohomish County that will close as part of the retailer’s larger plan to shutter more than half of its stores nationwide.
Joann store closure plan includes Everett, Arlington, Lynnwood locations

The retail giant filed a motion in court to close approximately 500 stores in the U.S.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.