Boeing Co. now employs about 1,100 fewer people in South Carolina than it did a year ago, according to the updated job count published this week.
Boeing, which builds its widebody 787 Dreamliner jet in North Charleston, employed 5,706 South Carolinaians on January 1, compared with 6,869 in the same period last year.
This represents a reduction of 1,163 jobs, or a drop of about 17% in the size of its total workforce in the state.
In its updated staff total, Boeing was eliminated from the top position as the largest private employer in Charleston County. Roper St. Francis Healthcare, which was runner-up, is now the largest, with 6,043 employees, according to an updated count provided Wednesday.
Across the company, Boeing cut more than 20,000 jobs from January last year to early 2021, and more cuts are to come. The company disclosed during its autumn earnings report that it would shrink to around 130,000 employees by the end of this year. It is now at about 141,000.
Although Boeing previously said that the acquisitions and layoffs caused by the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic affected its workforce in South Carolina, details were not given on how many jobs were lost.
Boeing annually updates its job count, by state and business category, during the first quarter of each year, so this week’s update was the first look at how workforce reductions have specifically affected the state of Palmetto.
The state of Washington, which by far is Boeing’s largest job center, has dropped to about 57,000 jobs, a reduction of about 21%. These cuts meant that retail giant Amazon took down Boeing in 2020 as Washington’s largest private employer.
Most of the job losses came from the commercial aircraft division, which was affected not only by the pandemic, but also by the 737 Max, which remained stationary for most of last year, before regulators allowed it to fly again in November. .
This division was reduced by almost half. About 34,600 were working for Boeing’s commercial aircraft segment last month, up from more than 64,500 in early 2020.
Boeing is ready to make a change next month that will move the entire 787 assembly to South Carolina and the program’s shutter operations in Everett, Wash. Although this decision has been praised by politicians and aerospace promoters in the state of Palmetto, it does result in any short-term employment gains.
At the time of consolidation, Boeing will make only five of its 787 jets per month – two fewer planes per month than the North Charleston plant was doing when it was dividing up work with Everett at a production of 14 per month pre-tax pandemic.
In addition to the final assembly facility for the 787 near Charleston International Airport, Boeing South Carolina employs local workers on its northernmost campus, where 787 internal parts are manufactured.
This campus also includes Propulsion South Carolina, where the engine nacelles are made for the 737 Max, and a research and technology center.