Union investigates claims that Boeing is sending work to non-union locations

Boeing's engineering union is formally investigating claims from its members that the company is moving work to non-union locations in the United States and overseas. 

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) formally began investigating the allegations in December, when it requested relevant information from Boeing, the union's Director of Strategic Development Rich Plunkett said Wednesday.

Union officials worry that the company is using a company-wide downsizing mandate to send work away from the Seattle area, where SPEEA represents 17,000 Boeing workers.

In October, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company would cut roughly 10% of its workforce, or 17,000 jobs, "to align with our financial reality." The U.S. planemaker recorded nearly $8 billion in losses through the first nine months of 2024. The company is expected to report more losses when it releases its year-end results on Tuesday.

In November and December, Boeing issued layoff notices to more than 4,000 U.S. workers, including 660 to SPEEA members, according to publicly-available state employment records and the union.

Soon after the first round of notices went out, SPEEA officials started hearing from members that "at least some of the work that was being performed by those subject to layoffs is now being sent to other Boeing locations," Plunkett said. 

Boeing declined to comment on Wednesday.