SEATTLE – Boeing’s engineering union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), has begun investigating claims from its members that the company is relocating work to non-union locations in the US and abroad.
The investigation was launched in December after SPEEA received reports that Boeing was shifting work away from the Seattle area, where the union represents 17,000 Boeing workers. The company had previously announced a plan to cut roughly 10% of its global workforce, or 17,000 jobs, to align with its financial reality.
In November and December, Boeing issued layoff notices to over 4,000 US workers, including 660 SPEEA members, according to publicly available state employment records and the union. Shortly after, SPEEA officials said they started receiving reports that some of the work being performed by those subject to layoffs was being sent to other Boeing locations.
SPEEA’s Director of Strategic Development, Rich Plunkett, stated that the union is concerned that Boeing is using the downsizing mandate to send work away from the Seattle area, and is seeking to address these concerns through the investigation. Boeing has declined to comment on the matter. The company is expected to release its year-end results on Tuesday, which will show significant losses.