Boeing rally is Wednesday
From staff reports
Boeing workers worried about their jobs will rally Wednesday in an effort to convince company executives to keep the Spokane factory open.
Beginning at 11 a.m., hundreds of employees, union officials, local politicians including Mayor John Powers, and U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt will speak at the rally outside the main gate.
In February, Boeing officials will decide on its Spokane plant. The struggling aircraft company is laying off up to 30,000 workers in its commercial airlines unit amid the recession and Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that drove travelers out of airports.
As part of its cost-cutting strategy, Boeing is reviewing its Spokane operations, where approximately 500 workers make floor panels and air ducts.
The thought of closing the plant has reverberated through the political and economic leadership of the community.
And it has local Boeing workers worried about their livelihoods.
"This has just shocked everybody," said Bill Dugovich, a spokesman for the union representing about 25,000 company engineers. "This plan has been held up as efficient and cost effective."
Dugovich said the idea of closing the Spokane factory has further shaken workers, already stinging from massive layoffs, across the company.
He's worried the company may seek to outsource the work to another company, carving into Boeing's employee base.