ALBAWABA - In a letter submitted to Washington's Employment Security Department on Monday, the US aviation powerhouse Boeing stated that it had laid off 2,199 employees in the state thus far, part of a planned layoff of around 17,000 employees nationwide, ABC reports.
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notifications were sent to impacted workers by the aerospace firm this week. The majority of affected US workers will continue to be paid until the middle of January in order to ensure compliance with federal rules mandating a 60-day notice period.
2,199 employees in Washington have been notified so far, many of whom will leave by mid-January, with more than 400 Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) members impacted by this cut.
Boeing’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, as well as its factories in Missouri, Arizona, and South Carolina, are also affected by the layoffs, according to ABC News.
Following a disruptive weeks-long strike by over 33,000 US West Coast workers that halted production of a large portion of Boeing's commercial planes, the notifications come as the company, under new CEO Kelly Ortberg, attempts to resume production of its best-selling 737 MAX, as reported by Reuters.
Beginning on January 5th, when a door panel ripped off a 737 MAX airplane in mid-air, Boeing has been tumbling through multiple crisis so far this year; facing CEO departure, production halts as authorities look into its safety culture, and on September 13, the primary union began a major strike.
In a statement, Boeing commented “As previously announced, we are adjusting our workforce levels to align with our financial reality and a more focused set of priorities,” adding “We are committed to ensuring our employees have support during this challenging time.”
