A new report from The American Prospect alleges that Boeing cared more about making money than ensuring safety and building quality planes. This led to serious problems for the once-respected company.
The report also claims Boeing got rid of experienced leaders which only made matters worse. It says the company’s culture took a turn for the worse under former CEO Jim McNerney between 2005 and 2015.
Boeing purged veteran leaders, outsourced Dreamliner development to boost stock prices, bust unions: reporthttps://t.co/zqQ1uFC2SShttps://t.co/zqQ1uFC2SS
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 16, 2024
Supposedly Boeing focused more on obtaining insider knowledge and trade secrets than on maintaining a skilled workforce that prioritized quality. The report says Boeing badmouthed workers who cared more about doing a good job than maximizing profits calling them “phenomenally talented [expletives]” and tried to push them out of the company.
McNerney is also accused of outsourcing a significant portion of the work on the 787 Dreamliner to unqualified individuals. This led to cost overruns and delays in the project’s completion.
The report claims outsourcing was done to weaken the unions at Boeing and cut costs. It even suggests the company relocated workers from the West Coast to South Carolina to avoid dealing with unionized employees.
Jon Holden the local machinist union president in Seattle said the 32,000 workers in Washington and Portland are frustrated by the report and recent negative publicity surrounding Boeing. He mentioned that workers take pride in their work and the planes they build but feel like their efforts are often undermined.
Holden emphasized that Boeing wouldn’t exist without its workers. He argued that the company’s well-publicized issues highlight just how crucial the workers are for its survival and success.
The union president also pointed out that workers now have more leverage than they’ve had in years because everyone is focusing on the missteps made by Boeing’s management and the consequences of prioritizing profits over safety and quality.
