Boeing's strike hits supply chain, 700 Spirit AeroSystems workers face furlough

Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing supplier, has told its employees that 700 will be forced to take 21 days off work, as the strike at Boeing that has lasted over a month has affected the company, according to a letter sent to staff on Friday. The layoffs will mainly affect those working on the Boeing 767 and 777 wide-body jet projects, whose production has been halted since September 13 due to a strike by more than 33,000 workers at Boeing's factories on the US west coast. Spirit AeroSystems has taken a number of cost-cutting measures, including freezing hiring, restricting travel and overtime, and has run out of space to store the 767 and 777 fuselages it makes. Spirit AeroSystems chief executive Pat Shanahan said the company recognised the impact of the decision on employees and their families, and would support them during the period. Boeing's suppliers had invested heavily in the production ramp-up planned for the company, but the strike has forced them to arrange layoffs and postpone investments. Spirit AeroSystems warned it may have to make further layoffs and announce further furloughs if the strike continues beyond November.