Report: Boeing plans engineer buyouts, layoffs this month

SEATTLE -- A new round of employee buyouts for Boeing engineers was announced internally, according to The Seattle Times. The company also warned that some layoff notices will go out later this month to engineers here in Washington.

According to our news partner, the vice president of engineering at Boeing Commercial Airplanes sent a memo on the job cuts around noon Tuesday to all employees in that unit.

“As we enter 2017, our plan calls for us to reduce our Engineering staff,” John Hamilton wrote. “I realize some of this news is unpleasant. But I wanted to respect your right to know what is occurring this year.”


The buyout package will reportedly be made available to employees in Washington, southern California and South Carolina. Details will be sent out on Friday. The last day of work for anyone who takes the deal will be April 21, the Times reported.

Sixty-day involuntary layoff notices will be sent out on Jan. 20 to employees in Washington who are affected.

Layoffs are nothing new for Boeing. In 2016 — the company had already fired thousands as demand for jumbo jets slumps. But Boeing told employees last month it will continue to cut jobs at its commercial airplane unit in 2017, citing fierce competition with rival Airbus and a drop in new orders.

Airbus also told its labor unions in November that it was cutting around 1,200 jobs.