Boeing said on Wednesday it will temporarily furlough tens of thousands of employees after about 30,000 machinists went on strike on Friday, halting production of its best-selling 737 MAX and other airplanes.
“We are initiating temporary furloughs over the coming days that will impact a large number of U.S.-based executives, managers and employees,” CEO Kelly Ortberg said in an email to employees. “We are planning for selected employees to take one week of furlough every four weeks on a rolling basis for the duration of the strike.”
The strike, Boeing’s first since 2008, adds to a tumultuous year for the planemaker, which began when a door panel blew off a new 737 MAX jet in midair in January.
