macc From Austria, joined Nov 2004, 977 posts, RR: 3 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 13367 times:
According to a report in WSJ due to the troubles with its Dreamliner Boeing has started to lay off hundreds of workers in their North Charleston plant. At the moment only contracted ones are affected, not direct employees.
Is that a hint that B is slowing down its 787 production?
AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 19261 posts, RR: 63 Reply 1, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 13285 times:
Quoting macc (Thread starter): tried to post link to WSJ article (subscriber only) but that doesnt work.
Googling the following headline works: Boeing Pares Dreamliner Workforce
bikerthai From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 1628 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 12332 times:
Quoting macc (Thread starter): At the moment only contracted ones are affected,
This is a curious statement. Usually production line mechanics are not contracted. Maybe because NC is non union, the make-up is different.
Contract workers typically are for construction workers and other non-airplane related worker needed for building up a facility etc.
Perhaps they are nearing completion of their facility and don't need the construction worker any more.
The other type of contract workers are the white collar technical staff on new airplane programs. Not sure if there are many of those in NC.
I have relatives working on the 787 and non 787 lines in Everett. Overtime have been cut drastically, but so far no rumors of layoff. Perhaps in Everett, they can always move people to the 777 line.
txjim From United States of America, joined May 2008, 201 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 12164 times:
I don't know about Boeing, but where I work contract workers have a limited time before they have to be hired or released. Can't touch them again for at least 6 months. I believe this is related to the defination of Full Time labor and has financial impact to the company.
My point is that I don't believe Boeing is attempting to staff a long-term labor force with contract workers.
moose135 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 2020 posts, RR: 12 Reply 5, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 12105 times:
A couple of points from the WSJ article. It sounds like this was an expected move by Boeing.
This was from "a person familiar with the plan", who also said it was begun late last year, before the battery issue came up...
Quote: The cuts largely target the plant's outside contractors, although Boeing also would reduce staff positions by not replacing some workers who leave or are promoted, the person said.
And from a Boeing spokesman...
Quote: Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel confirmed the reductions in contract labor, but declined to discuss specific numbers...Mr. Birtel said Boeing is "not laying off any direct Boeing Commercial Airplane employees at this time," adding that reduction in the use of contractors in South Carolina "has been our plan."
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2518 posts, RR: 44 Reply 7, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 10921 times:
Quoting bikerthai (Reply 3): This is a curious statement. Usually production line mechanics are not contracted. Maybe because NC is non union, the make-up is different.
Quoting bikerthai (Reply 3): The other type of contract workers are the white collar technical staff on new airplane programs. Not sure if there are many of those in NC.
You know that Charleston is in South Carolina, right?
Roseflyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8787 posts, RR: 52 Reply 8, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 10479 times:
I don't have much knowledge on this, but have a feeling it is related to the Vought workforce and not with the 787 final assembly and production work force.
Engineering work is mostly complete for the 787, so the engineering workforce usually gets cut and reallocated to other production models after an airplane enters into service. To help maintain the core workforce employed by Boeing, they fill in with 10-20% contract labor workers. These people get paid more, but don't have job security. When the project ends, they are usually released. In final assembly, once the process is up and running and is more automated, fewer workers are needed.
Quoting macc (Thread starter): Is that a hint that B is slowing down its 787 production?
I doubt it. It probably is an indication that 787 design work is coming to an end and the program is moving into a sustaining & production engineering mode which requires fewer engineers. It happens with every airplane model.
[Edited 2013-03-01 10:36:50]
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26956 posts, RR: 83 Reply 10, posted (3 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 9752 times:
Quoting macc (Reply 6): Well, then it seems thats a rather bad worded article from WSJ. thanks for the input. Makes much more sense now.
Actually, it is the German link to the article that is poorly worded. They also believe Charleston is in North Carolina, so that alone makes me wonder if they bothered to read the WSJ article.
Having read the WSJarticle, it looks like Jon Ostrower was pretty clear that these staff reductions were planned and were not directly influenced by the grounding of the 787.
liquidoblivion From United States of America, joined Nov 2009, 3 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7690 times:
Quoting Stitch (Reply 10):
Quoting PGNCS (Reply 7):
You know that Charleston is in South Carolina, right?
North/South - I get confused sometimes.
bt
It's like South Carolina doesn't exist. Anytime I am away from this area and you tell them you are from SC, 5 mins later they are asking you about what its like in NC. You can remind them and that might last for an hour or two, but the next time you see them you will be that guy from NC. :/
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5962 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7620 times:
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 8): Engineering work is mostly complete for the 787, so the engineering workforce usually gets cut and reallocated to other production models after an airplane enters into service.
You sure about that? I'd imagine the EE's are a might bit busy at the moment... Not to mention that Boeing is probably actively engineering further 787 derivatives, like the -10...
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
Unflug From Germany, joined Jan 2012, 206 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 3159 times:
Quoting Stitch (Reply 10): Actually, it is the German link to the article that is poorly worded. They also believe Charleston is in North Carolina, so that alone makes me wonder if they bothered to read the WSJ article.
You are correct - the author either hasn't even read it or he/she doesn't have a clue what's written in it.
At least they fixed the City Name to North Charleston in South Carolina, which seems to be correct.
windowflyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 49 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 3139 times:
Quoting nitepilot79 (Reply 13): Charleston is also in West Virginia. Pretty well known city, certainly as much as Charleston, South Carolina
Had no idea there was a Charleston in West Virginia, then again, I'm more familia with East Virginia.
This whole worker layoff thing may have been planned and may mean absolutely nothing. But in a world where image is everything I have to say the timing truly sucks.
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Not to mention that Boeing is probably actively engineering further 787 derivatives, like the -10...
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