Work To Be Dispersed To Washington State, Oklahoma, And San Antonio

The union representing engineers at The Boeing Company is calling on the company to meet all commitments to employees here who worked diligently to help secure the $35 billion U.S. Air Force KC-767 tanker program only to learn this morning their plant is being shuttered and their work is going elsewhere.

A meeting is being scheduled with Boeing to start effects bargaining for the 550 engineers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001. “We’ve begun talking to Boeing immediately,” said SPEEA President Tom McCarty. “We will be working very hard to find the best outcome for the people we represent at Boeing Wichita.”

While noting there are not a lot of answers yet, McCarty said the union is getting the pieces in place to do everything it can to help members transfer to new jobs, relocate or meet other career needs. McCarty said the company also needs to pay attention to retaining the skills of its Wichita engineers. “These engineers are experts in their fields and Boeing can’t afford to lose those skills,” McCarty said.

In September, Wichita engineers agreed to a two-year contract extension with Boeing. Originally set to expire Dec. 2, 2011, the contract locks in terms through Dec. 2, 2013.

Wichita Boeing was slated to do the final modifications on the KC-767 tanker after the planes were assembled in Everett, Washington. During an all-employee meeting at the Wichita plant this morning, Boeing officials said tanker work will land in Everett, Washington. Other programs from Wichita will go to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, Texas. Boeing said the transition begins in the third quarter of 2012.

In addition to refueling tankers, recent work at the Wichita plant includes B-52 modifications, maintaining Air Force One, and the 737 Wedgetail program.

FMI: www.speea.org, www.boeing.com