“Always bet on Boeing?”
South Carolina’s biggest-ever taxpayer-funded economic development gamble might one day pay off, but right now the hits keep-a-coming for the Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer.
This week The Wall Street Journal exclusively reported on Boeing’s “plans to cut hundreds of workers at a South Carolina factory where it builds 787 Dreamliners.” How many workers? Up to twenty percent of the facility’s 6,000 employees – which for those of you educated in South Carolina public schools equals 1,200 employees.
According to company officials quoted by The Journal, the layoffs are not related to the recent grounding of the Dreamliner – which has been plagued by problems since its inception. Instead they are the result of a ramp down from “surge activities” associated with the launching of the facility.
“As we progress in improving efficiencies in our processes, training our entry-level employees and growing the experience of our team in South Carolina, we expect to continue to reduce reliance on contract labor/ industry assist to meet our production objectives,” a company spokesman told Reuters.
Translation? Expect more “efficiencies” in the future …
As for the Dreamliner itself, Boeing is trying desperately to get its next generation passenger jet in the air again.
South Carolina elected officials – led by Gov. Nikki Haley – have praised the state’s $900 million investment in the aircraft manufacturer, with Haley praising the Dreamliners as “Mack Daddy Planes’ in her 2012 address to the GOP national convention.
Haley’s office did not respond to our request for comment on these layoffs, nor did a spokeswoman at the governor’s Department of Commerce.
We were hoping for a little “miggity miggity miggity miggity Mack Daddy” by way of a response but alas …
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23 comments
I would have bet dollars to doughnut holes that ole Sic Willie would have grabbed this “story” and ran with it. He hopes folks don’t read it too close though. The “cuts” are in contract jobs. Sic Willie, who has mainly sucked at the government’s teat in his “working” life, doesn’t understand how business, especially manufacturing/production, works. You ramp up with temps/contract employees to get rolling and then drop them as soon as you can. No severance pay required, etc. There are job shoppers who work their careers this way. They are basically “self employed”.
This is a typical FITS non story.
“A typical FITS non story” which was broken by The Wall Street Journal.
And not fully reported by you, which proves CNSYD’s point. The Journal explained the types of jobs that would be cut. You didn’t. Sin of omission that matters here.
The automotive cluster in Greenville/Spartanburg uses the same methods. Ramp up with temps, smooth out the process, gain the needed efficiencies, then lower the workforce number by dismissing the temps and retaining the best of rest. BMW has done it from day one and for each of their subsequent expansions. Others in the cluster do the same.
Honda at Timmonsville the same. In fact, I know of no major manufacturers or employers in SC who don’t use the same methods. Amazon does it in their distribution centers, Adidas did it in Spartanburg.
As you suggest, it’s the way business is done.
Move along folks (no pun intended), nothing to see here.
I would have bet dollars to doughnut holes that ole Sic Willie would have grabbed this “story” and ran with it. He hopes folks don’t read it too close though. The “cuts” are in contract jobs. Sic Willie, who has mainly sucked at the government’s teat in his “working” life, doesn’t understand how business, especially manufacturing/production, works. You ramp up with temps/contract employees to get rolling and then drop them as soon as you can. No severance pay required, etc. There are job shoppers who work their careers this way. They are basically “self employed”.
This is a typical FITS non story.
“A typical FITS non story” which was broken by The Wall Street Journal.
And not fully reported by you, which proves CNSYD’s point. The Journal explained the types of jobs that would be cut. You didn’t. Sin of omission that matters here.
The automotive cluster in Greenville/Spartanburg uses the same methods. Ramp up with temps, smooth out the process, gain the needed efficiencies, then lower the workforce number by dismissing the temps and retaining the best of rest. BMW has done it from day one and for each of their subsequent expansions. Others in the cluster do the same.
Honda at Timmonsville the same. In fact, I know of no major manufacturers or employers in SC who don’t use the same methods. Amazon does it in their distribution centers, Adidas did it in Spartanburg.
As you suggest, it’s the way business is done.
Move along folks (no pun intended), nothing to see here.
Boeing isn’t laying anybody off they are simply taking over functions that have been performed by other companies that were contracted to do them.
Boeing isn’t laying anybody off they are simply taking over functions that have been performed by other companies that were contracted to do them.
Once again……..one only has to understand how the airlines procure their FUEL and at what price they pay to see how anyone doing bottom line planning for BOEING would realize what will happen to airline travel with gas prices and jet fuel prices going up. The battery fiasco is just the tip of the iceberg. Plane orders will get pushed back (unlikely to get outright cancelled) and certain carriers will consolidate. Boeing is putting their “flaps” down for a nice landing….
So you’re advocating Firing Obama so gas prices will go down..and we can fix the economy that ignorant SOB has made a disaster of…right???
Once again……..one only has to understand how the airlines procure their FUEL and at what price they pay to see how anyone doing bottom line planning for BOEING would realize what will happen to airline travel with gas prices and jet fuel prices going up. The battery fiasco is just the tip of the iceberg. Plane orders will get pushed back (unlikely to get outright cancelled) and certain carriers will consolidate. Boeing is putting their “flaps” down for a nice landing….
So you’re advocating Firing Obama so gas prices will go down..and we can fix the economy that ignorant SOB has made a disaster of…right???
I think wecan say Adios to Sanford w/ this news….
Could not have come at a WORSE time for Sanford. While other economic development investments are paying off…Boeing is synonymous with SANFORD…
Every bad mark for Boeing is Sanford’s Folly…at a time when Sanford is already getting Pummelled by turner for Cheating and squandering opportunity to Govern when he had the benefit of the Bush economy, and Billions in revenue…
I think wecan say Adios to Sanford w/ this news….
Could not have come at a WORSE time for Sanford. While other economic development investments are paying off…Boeing is synonymous with SANFORD…
Every bad mark for Boeing is Sanford’s Folly…at a time when Sanford is already getting Pummelled by turner for Cheating and squandering opportunity to Govern when he had the benefit of the Bush economy, and Billions in revenue…
I have no problem with how businesses manage their workforce. I have a major issues with tax-payer funded corporate welfare schemes masquerading as the hallowed “free market” — which we all know is the answer to all problems everywhere.
I have no problem with how businesses manage their workforce. I have a major issues with tax-payer funded corporate welfare schemes masquerading as the hallowed “free market” — which we all know is the answer to all problems everywhere.
The N. Charleston Boeing plant was built with the help of hundreds of illegal Mexicans. I seen it myself. I know the contractors that hired them – paid them under the table. And the general contractor, BE&K/Turner was entwined in collusion with their subs to use them. Meanwhile, SC government turned a blind eye to it all and refused to enforce SC’s new anti immigration law because of politics.
SC is a hardcore corrupt state.
The N. Charleston Boeing plant was built with the help of hundreds of illegal Mexicans. I seen it myself. I know the contractors that hired them – paid them under the table. And the general contractor, BE&K/Turner was entwined in collusion with their subs to use them. Meanwhile, SC government turned a blind eye to it all and refused to enforce SC’s new anti immigration law because of politics.
SC is a hardcore corrupt state.
It is amazing how Fitsnews hatred for the Gov tries to make this none issue a story. The purpose of contract work is to rev up with TEMP help until otherwise not needed. Notice these layoffs don’t include employees.
It is amazing how Fitsnews hatred for the Gov tries to make this none issue a story. The purpose of contract work is to rev up with TEMP help until otherwise not needed. Notice these layoffs don’t include employees.
well boeing did not hire me back because of my age i worked there 1965–till–73——aero space new orleans when they cleared out of new orleans they could care less —–see the charleston airport now its all boeing when they clear out –omg