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Boeing strike hits Airway Heights plant

Tom Sowa
Staff writer
September 10, 2008

More than 200 workers at the Triumph Composite Systems plant in Spokane are expected to be laid off next week because of a Boeing Co. machinists’ strike that began last weekend.

Triumph’s plan is to start layoffs Sept. 19, said Michael Schelstrate, human services director at the local Triumph plant.

“They (Boeing) are our primary customer,” Schelstrate said. “We’re seeing an immediate and significant impact from the strike.”

The first group of layoffs is expected to affect 40 percent to 45 percent of the 550-person work force at the West Plains production site, he said.

Another 15 percent to 20 percent of Triumph’s employees would face layoffs if the strike continued beyond Sept. 21, he added.

The company has 70 to 75 support and administrative staff. About 30 of those workers have been identified for layoffs in the first round, added Schelstrate. “The effect will be across the board,” he said.

Depending on which contracts Triumph is still fulfilling, administrative workers who are part of ongoing projects will not be immediately affected, said Schelstrate.

When it comes to layoffs among production workers, the first round will be based on existing labor contracts, added Schelstrate.

“We have to follow the contract language very carefully” when it comes to reductions or indefinite layoffs, he said. Boeing accounts for about 21 percent of Triumph’s sales, according to wire reports.

The Chicago-based company’s machinists — most of whom work in the company’s Seattle plants — began their strike Friday night, halting production of commercial jets. About 27,000 union machinists walked off the job after rejecting Boeing’s latest contract offer.

Airplane industry analysts estimate the strike will cost Boeing about $100 million to $120 million a day. The company has been delivering about 40 planes a month.

Three years ago to the month, a similar Boeing strike also shut down production at the Spokane Triumph plant. In that case the machinists’ strike meant layoffs for about 200 Triumph workers.

Contact Tom Sowa at (509) 459-5492 or toms@spokesman.com.

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