On Friday, the Boeing Company, an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, announced that it will lay off around 800 machinists this year as it reduces its workforce on its 747 and 787 airplane programs.
Doug Alder, the spokesman for the Chicago-based company, said other reductions will be made through attrition and that the total number of positions cut this year will be between 2,000 and 2,300.
"We always expected employment requirements would come down on these programs after we stabilized production," Alder said. "That's what's happening."
The reductions are part of a long-term plan but it won't cause a shift in the production rates for either airplane, the company said. All 800 people being laid off are members of the International Association of Machinists union.
"This isn't the start of a traditional Boeing downcycle," said Connie Kelliher, spokeswoman for the Machinists union. "There's no production decrease on any Boeing airplane line."
Alex Pietsch, the director of the state's Office of Aerospace, added that "Every indication we have is that things are going to continue to grow into the future. We know the 737 MAX is coming, that other new derivatives are coming. We think there will be more work ahead."
Boeing plans to double its output of 787 Dreamliner jets from five jets each month to 10 a month by the end of 2013. Early next year it plans to increase production of 737s to 42 per month from 38 currently.
The layoffs will mainly affect machinists involved in change incorporation wor, or reworking aircraft that have left the factory, for the 787 and 747 programs in Everett, Washington.
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