Spirit AeroSystems will reduce employment at sites supporting commercial programs a result of lower demand for commercial airplanes. Spirit is a supplier to Airbus and Boeing, both of which announced lower production rates for commercial aircraft due to the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry.
As part of the overall employment reductions, Spirit offered a voluntary layoff to union represented employees in Wichita, Kan. earlier this week. Spirit has issued a notice to the State of Kansas under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act of layoffs affecting approximately 1,450 hourly and salaried employees at its site in Wichita. Spirit’s Wichita employees affected by these layoffs are expected to begin exiting the company May 15.
Later this month, smaller reductions will occur at Spirit’s remaining U.S. sites that perform commercial work. Spirit’s global sites are reviewing workforce requirements and will announce their plans in the coming weeks.
