Fresh from a January 2006 reorganization of its $30 billion Integrated Defense Systems business, Boeing announced that its Wichita plant faced a restructuring and 900 layoffs by the beginning of 2007, abpout 25% of its 3,600 person workforce there. Most will be management and management support employees.
As the official memo notes, the Wichita plant will focus the Wichita location’s future on being a center for 747 and wide-body modifications and upgrades, B-52 heavy bomber engineering, technical publications, and mission planning. Now that Boeing has just completed a 20-year contract to re-engine the KC-135 air tanker fleet, the program office and some KC-135 fleet support engineering work will move to Oklahoma City.
Mesnwhile, the unions are preparing a lobbying effort, and other opportunities may beckon…
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The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, is asking employees to sign support cards that seek more federal funding for the B-52 Standoff Jammer, E-4B flying command center (odd, in that this recently received a $2 billion contract), KC-135 future tanker replacement and the 747 Airborne Laser programs. “These programs are vital to the future of Wichita IDS,” said Bob Brewer, SPEEA Midwest Director. “We expect to have a large stack of cards to deliver.”
On interesting take come from Innovation Analysis Group’s blog, which says:
“But, no worries, Airbus/EADS is looking for 200 aerospace engineers. Wichita already has some Airbus interests. These are interesting times with so many big pieces floating around.”