Boeing Is Calling Back Its Retirees To Try To Fix Delays At Its 737 Jetliner Plant (cnbc.com)

Boeing is trying to fix delays at its 737 jetliner plant near Seattle, so it's turning to its retired workers. "Boeing started hiring retired mechanics and inspectors on a temporary basis after reaching an agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers on August 15," reports CNBC. From the report: The snarl at its plant in Renton, Washington, triggered by shortages of engines and fuselages as Boeing sped production to record levels in June, is likely to hurt third-quarter results and threatens its goal to boost build rates again in 2019, some analysts said after meetings in the Seattle area last week. Investors will get a peek on Tuesday at how far behind Boeing is when it releases its order and delivery tallies for August, a month after deliveries fell to the lowest level in years. Deliveries are crucial to planemakers because that is when airlines pay most of what they owe for the aircraft. Boeing has already deployed about 600 employees and new hires to Renton in recent weeks to help fix delays, analysts said. It was not clear how many retired workers Boeing intends to hire.

Comments

Boeing Boeing Gone

[AlanObject]

I thought Boeing was moving out of Seattle. So I guess there won't be another generation of aviation workers there after they use these oldsters up.

Re:Boeing Boeing Gone

[Freischutz]

I thought Boeing was moving out of Seattle. So I guess there won't be another generation of aviation workers there after they use these oldsters up.

That's just it, the company has been rather foolish in the way it's been handling production for quite some time now. And shockingly, providing bonuses for the half-assed work being done in North Carolina is having consequences.

It's beyond me why any of these people aren't looking for work elsewhere as it's clear that Boeing only cares about money and can't be bothered to think about the long term.

Heard that bit about the shoddy work too. The local airline bought a bunch of Boeings including some 787s and specified in the contract that they should be made in Seattle because they do better work and our airline is not alone in this. I have heard of other airlines refusing to accept aircraft made in other factories than the ones in Washington state, except I think the factory causing the problems was Charleston IIRC which is in South Carolina. If this is true Boeing would not be shooting themselves in the foot if they close down the facilities in Washington state, they'd be shooting their foot clean off.

Re:Boeing Boeing Gone

[cheesybagel]

It's not in North Carolina. It's in North Charleston, South Carolina. They manufacture 787's though. Not 737's which are all manufactured in Washington state.

Retired?

[reanjr]

Were they retired workers or were they "retired" workers. Is retiring something the workers did or was it something that happened to them?

Re:Retired?

[mikeiver1]

I suspect that they were "Retired" to make the bottom line look good for the quarterly or year end stock reports. The execs have got to get their bonus's regardless of merit! Also keep in mind that the people they "retired" were likely those with allot of vacation time accrued and at the highest pay grades not to mention older. Hence they cost more to keep. Forget the extensive experience they take with them when they leave, the company saves 10K or 20K per year by getting rid of them. Likely the cost to production losses is 10 times that by hay, the execs and investors gotta get payed!

Re:Retired?

[gymbrown]

I worked for Boeing for almost 30 years but had to retire because my wife was extremely ill. She required constant care for 6 months. After around 6 months she was recovered enough I could have gone back to work and got a call from Boeing asking me to come back for an interesting software job. If it wasn't for the fact that we were having fun and investments were going well, I would have gone back. We all have different reasons for retirement and may want to go back to work for the company we left. Most retired Boeing employees have a good relation-ship with Boeing and would return if there is a need. If my health would per-mit it, I would go back.

Boeing is crazy

[Anonymous Coward]

I never understood them. They have these massive waves of layoffs, as if the market has collapsed or something, but actually their product is back ordered for years and all they need to do to make money is make more airplanes. You might think they're trying to get rid of low-performing or overpaid employees but those are the ones that seem to stick around the longest.

They're not attractive to young engineers any more, the old folks are all near retirement with houses and boats and nice cars and money in the bank while anyone that's hired now is barely above living paycheck to paycheck in a shared apartment.

They sometimes try to hire line workers at minimum wage. Management is baffled when people from a temp agency show up, see the difficult and specialized skilled labor they're supposed to perform, and walk away.

Airbus has their problems too but at least the full-time employees tend to stick around. Although they have this growing cancer of hiring engineers as "contractors" that are paid less than non-contractors and have zero job security. The aerospace equivalent of dash-trash except they're making decisions that have real world consequences. It's sorta sketchy when your engineers have no more incentive to take their job seriously than someone who flips burgers. Think about that next time you're in an airplane.

Re:

[The Grim Reefer]

Just think about the money they could save if they could resurrect the dead

I saw that movie. It doesn't turn out well.

Re:Deliveries are crucial to planemakers

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the disappointing part of being a nuclear missile designer, you never get to see your product work.