Boeing extends suspension of Puget Sound operations until further notice

SEATTLE — Boeing announced Sunday it is extending the temporary suspension of its Puget Sound operations until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The health and safety of our employees, their families and our communities is our shared priority,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stan Deal. “We will take this time to continue to listen to our incredible team and assess applicable government direction, the spread of the coronavirus in the community and the reliability of our suppliers to ensure we are ready for a safe and orderly return to operations.”

The machinists’ union stated in an email Sunday night the closure will be unpaid time, despite their requests that employees be paid during the suspension.

The original shutdown began March 25 and was originally supposed to last two weeks.

Boeing said it will monitor government guidance on coronavirus and reassess at a later date.

It said that during the suspension, additional health and safety measures are being implemented to protect the volunteers doing essential site and service work.

This comes as the company offered workers a benefits package for voluntary layoffs, to help cut down its workforce.

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