More job cuts at Spirit AeroSystems as Boeing’s coronavirus, 737 MAX woes continue

Spirit AeroSystems is cutting more of its workforce as it grapples with the Boeing 737 MAX grounding and the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The company is offering all its SPEEA technical and professional workers in Wichita voluntary layoffs, according to a Spirit email sent to employees Wednesday night.

It’s immediately unclear how many jobs the company will cut. In 2019, SPEEA, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, represented more than 1,600 technical and professional workers at Spirit, but the company has undergone several rounds of layoffs, voluntary layoffs, early retirement offers and furloughs since then.

The final day of work for those taking the layoffs will be no later than May 14.

Demand for new airplanes has tanked during the coronavirus pandemic. The latest voluntary layoffs come after aviation giant Boeing reported on Wednesday that it would slash 10% of its workforce amid dramatic declines in production rates.

Boeing and Spirit were already having trouble after the Boeing 737 MAX was grounded worldwide last spring following two deadly crashes overseas. Spirit, which builds 70% of the MAX, planned to slowly ramp up production of the popular Boeing plane this year, but the plane has still not been certified as safe to fly.

The voluntary layoffs are a “first step” in the company’s plans to deal with the latest report from Boeing.

“Based upon the information provided today, our leadership team is now evaluating the full impact of the guidance from our customers and determining how we best position Spirit for the future,” Spirit CEO Tom Gentile said in a letter to employees.

“As a first step,” Gentile said, “we are providing an opportunity for all represented employees in Wichita to volunteer to be laid off consistent with the terms of their applicable collective bargaining agreement.”

Gentile said Spirit’s goal is to make the “best possible decisions to allow Spirit to emerge as a stronger company that can better serve the commercial and defense aerospace markets.”