SEATTLE — Boeing plans to move most of its defense and support-related services from Seattle and Kent to cities that include Oklahoma City and St. Louis. That is a total of about 2,000 jobs.
Details will be discussed with workers at meetings Tuesday.
SPEEA, the union that represents about a thousand of the defense engineers affected, immediately pointed out that local taxpayers should be outraged. A spokesman for the union pointed to $8.7 billion in subsidies given to Boeing to help keep production of the 777X in Washington. He said it was like lawmakers were “subsidizing the moving of jobs out of state.”
However, Boeing said Monday the moves are part of efforts to improve the competitiveness of the Boeing Defense, Space & Security unit.
The company says about 900 jobs could move to Oklahoma City, and up to 500 to St. Louis in about three years. Jobs will also be sent to Jacksonville, Florida and Patuxent River, Maryland.
Programs being relocated include the Airborne Warning and Control Systems, Airborne Early Warning & Control and the F-22 Raptor.
Boeing said it will also remain in the Puget Sound region due to production of the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft and KC-46A Tanker.
Fewer jobs in Seattle will also mean small businesses setup primarily to serve Boeing workers will take a hit. The owner of Randy’s by the Boeing’s Seattle location said each time it gets a little bit hard to keep the business open.
KIRO
