RENTON, Wash. — Boeing said planned layoffs of 10% of its workforce will move forward even if the machinists' strike ends next week, according to a spokesperson.
Information released to KING 5 by a vetted source indicates the layoff notices will be delivered mid-November, and the last day on the payroll for thousands of employees will be Jan. 17. Managers and executives will also be impacted by the job cuts.
The company said striking employees are currently not included in the layoff plan. Tens of thousands of Boeing machinists' represented by IAM District 751 are on strike while contract negotiations continue between them and the company. The strike has hit Boeing financially - with S&P Global estimating a $1 billion loss for every month that it goes on.
After taking the helm of the company in August, new CEO Kelly Ortberg said he plans to "re-focus" the company, saying he aims to restore trust in Boeing and return it to its former reputation of engineering excellence.
Boeing has seen $25 billion in losses since 2019, according to the Associated Press, due to an array of aviation failures by the company, including the fatal 737 Max 8 crashes and the door-plug blowout in January of 2024 that put a microscope on the company's manufacturing and quality assurance processes.
Whistleblowers have emerged in the aftermath of the door plug blowout, saying they were pressured to use "nonconforming" parts on airplanes and were retaliated against for reporting safety concerns.
Another whistleblower, who has chosen to remain anonymous, reported concerns that Boeing was attempting to eliminate quality inspections and instead relied on employees to inspect their work and the work of their coworkers. The FAA has previously raised concerns about Boeing's quality inspection efforts dating back to 2021.
