Boeing Studying More Layoffs, This Time of White-Collar Workers

Last week Boeing announced it would lay off some 800 machinists in Everett, and now comes words that the company is planning to move hundreds of white-collar jobs out of the Puget Sound region in a restructuring that could include layoffs.

In fact, reports the Seattle Times, dozens of defense-side software engineers who work in Kent were also laid off last week.

Separately, Boeing is studying moving airline support workers from this region to Long Beach, Calif., and IT support workers to St. Louis and Charleston, S.C.. In the latter, move, says the Times, some employees will be asked to move and up to 10 percent of the group could be laid off.

The Kent staff laid off last week worked on updating software in the federal government’s fleet of Boeing Airborne Warning and Control System” (AWACS) aircraft, which is almost complete.

Boeing representatives say so far, most of the restructuring is in the study stages, with any moves being made to improve efficiency. No numbers have been announced, but Boeing employs some 7,900 IT workers in the Puget Sound region and hundreds of customer support personnel.

See the Times story by clicking here.

For an earlier Patch story about reductions in the Everett workforce, see:

• Boeing Plans to Lay Off 800 Machinists Who Work on 787 Jets