Boeing Plans Worldwide Job Cuts
Jennifer Billock March 30, 2016
FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2011 file photo is the Boeing Company logo on the property in El Segundo, Calif.
Boeing employees worldwide are facing staff cuts of more than 4,500 positions by the middle of the year.
It’s official—Boeing has confirmed major staff cuts for 2016. What started as 4,500 jobs cut from the international workforce (confirmed earlier today) has ballooned into a number reaching 8,000.
The company’s orders have steadily been declining as Asia and the Middle East no longer need planes for expansions, and some market share has been lost to competitor Airbus.
Attrition will hit nearly every sector of Boeing’s business: 4,000 in the commercial division, 550 in the flight and lab testing units, as well as managers, executives and more. The company expects to save about $1 billion in expenses with voluntary layoffs and leaving open positions unfilled.
The total number of jobs—including that 8,000 peg—is still somewhat unclear, though.
“There is no employment reduction target,” spokesman Doug Alder told Reuters. “The more we can control costs as a whole, the less impact there will be to employment.”
But, according to Reuters, the company’s projected numbers took the business’ unions by surprise, as they had not been notified of such a large amount of jobs going by the wayside. According to the two unions, the International Association of Machinists District 751 and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, more than 1,000 union members have applied for the voluntary layoffs, though authorization of those is still unclear. Both unions want Washington state officials to intervene and ensure that Boeing keeps its state workforce at a stable level or increases it in exchange for tax incentives valued at $8.7 billion.
[Photo: Reed Saxon/AP]
"Both had been recently refurbished. The Airbus was superior in seat room, seat comfort, and entertainment package." this has nothing to do with Boeing or Airbus. furnishings/entertainment are all decided on by the airline.
Oops...typo...it was an Airbus A330(-300)
I think Airbus is producing a better product for passengers. Just went coast to coast. Outbound on a DL 777, return on a DL A340. Econ both ways. Both had been recently refurbished. The Airbus was superior in seat room, seat comfort, and entertainment package. Also I noticed that headroom was better in the Airbus. Noted because I had to help 3 women stow their bags in the overhead. Not because of weight, but because they were too short to reach it. I commented that Airbus must have meant this config for SAS. One other oddity, though I'm sure this is a DL thing. On the eastbound, DL234, about a third of the movie offerings - the new releases - were for sale. All these exact same films were complimentary westbound, DL 458.