Boeing is set to lay off 2,199 workers in the state of Washington in the coming months, with some losing their jobs just days before Christmas.
The aviation company notified the state of Washington of the cuts, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Another 220 people will lose their jobs in South Carolina, Reuters reported. The two states are where Boeing builds commercial airliners.
The layoffs are part of the debt-heavy U.S. planemaker’s plan to cut 17,000 jobs, or 10% of its global workforce, according to a union official and federally required filings posted on Monday. Boeing employees in Oregon and Missouri are also set to be impacted, according to Reuters, although the exact number was not shared.
According to Boeing, “only a very small number” of employees will lose their jobs in December, “while the majority will exit in mid-January.”
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The aerospace giant started telling affected U.S. workers on Wednesday that they will stay on Boeing’s payroll until Jan. 17 to comply with federal requirements to notify employees at least 60 days prior to ending their employment.
The notices come as Boeing tries to restart production of its strongest-selling 737 MAX, after a weekslong strike by more than 33,000 U.S. West Coast workers halted output of most of its commercial jets.
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“As previously announced, we are adjusting our workforce levels to align with our financial reality and a more focused set of priorities. We are committed to ensuring our employees have support during this challenging time,” a statement from Boeing to FOX Business said.
Boeing said, “eligible employees will receive severance pay, career transition services, and subsidized health care benefits up to 3 months after exiting the company.”
Boeing shares gained 2.6% to close at $143.87 on Monday.
Boeing is based in Arlington, Virginia. The company has lurched from crisis to crisis this year, kicking off on Jan. 5 when a door panel blew off a 737 Max jet in midair. Since then, its CEO departed, its production has slowed as regulators investigated its safety culture and its largest union kicked off a strike on Sept. 13 that ended on Nov. 5.
FOX Business’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Daniella Genovese, Jasmine Baehr and Reuters contributed to this report.
