Boeing Will Lay Off 5,000 Workers in ’90

The Boeing Co. said today that it expects to slash its work force by as many as 5,000 employees this year, reflecting uncertainty over the defense budget and the future of a new plane still on the drawing board.

Boeing said 1,700 hourly employees will be laid off by April, 1,400 of whom work at the company’s Everett plant in the Puget Sound area, where production start-up for the new 747-400 jumbo jet has been completed.