Boeing Lays Off 900 in Wichita, KS

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… Airborne Laser System(Click for expanded view) 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. […]