MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Boeing laying off over 6,700 workers, cites ‘devastating impact’ of pandemic

May 27, 2020, 8:52 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:33 am

Boeing strike...

Workers meet on the flight line near Boeing 737 MAX factory shortly after company resumed operations, in Renton. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

(Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

Boeing has finished its voluntary layoff program, and there were not enough takers to prevent an upcoming round of involuntary cuts.

That will see the company laying off 6,770 U.S. employees in the days ahead, all of whom will be notified of their status soon.

“I wish there were some other way. For those of you who are notified, I want to offer my personal gratitude for the contributions you have made to Boeing, and I wish you and your families the very best,” Boeing CEO David Calhoun said in a written statement addressed to employees.

Impacted workers will receive severance pay, COBRA health care coverage, and career transition services.

The company announced in late-April that it would be trimming 10% of its global workforce, affecting over 10,000 Washington employees.

The market for commercial airplanes dried up this year as the COVID-19 pandemic cut global passenger traffic to a trickle.

“The COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the airline industry means a deep cut in the number of commercial jets and services our customers will need over the next few years, which in turn means fewer jobs on our lines and in our offices,” Calhoun stated. “We have done our very best to project the needs of our commercial airline customers over the next several years as they begin their path to recovery.”

MyNorthwest News

The Three Queens Fire near Snoqualmie Pass and Kachess Lake increased to more than 800 acres this w...

Tom Brock

Racing the Flames: Fast-growing wildfire forces evacuations near Snoqualmie Pass & Kachess Lake

A lightning-caused wildfire six miles west of Snoqualmie Pass is growing and threatening cabins at the north end of Kachess Lake.

2 hours ago

The tiny eyes of about 20 cats are focused on a Tacoma police officer as he snaps a shot of them on...

Tom Brock

How 30+ cats survived on an abandoned Tacoma boat

Officers say they responded after receiving reports from people who spotted a lot of cats on a sailboat anchored just off Owen Beach, on the northern tip of Point Defiance Park

5 hours ago

mount rainier white river sunrise wildfire...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Sunrise and White River entrance at Mount Rainier closed due to wildfire

The White River entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is closed until further notice due to a fire in the park.

9 hours ago

The Fox Network logo is displayed. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images)...

Katrina Guischard

Exhausted FOX13 news anchor, mom of 2 goes viral for dozing off on-air

A morning news anchor and mom of two is going viral after appearing to briefly fall asleep during a live broadcast.

11 hours ago

Starbucks (3)...

MyNorthwest Staff

Starbucks shutters another Seattle store as closures and layoffs mount

Starbucks has closed another store in Seattle, this time downtown.

21 hours ago

seattle traffic...

Nate Connors

Major sports events, full closure on I-405 will make for very busy Seattle commute all weekend

This weekend around the Seattle area might go down as one of the busiest of the summer for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

22 hours ago

Boeing laying off over 6,700 workers, cites ‘devastating impact’ of pandemic