Boeing Warns of Possible Layoffs

Boeing Co. said Friday it had issued 60-day notices warning 868 employees that they may be laid off Aug. 21 if no new assignments are found for them.

Boeing spokesman Russ Young said the federally mandated notices went to 855 workers in the Puget Sound area and 13 others who work for Boeing outside Washington state.

The company last week gave pink slips to 407 employees, bringing to 1,717 the total number of Boeing workers laid off this year. The aerospace giant has said it expects to trim 8,000 workers this year, largely through attrition.

The company has been paring its work force due to defense cuts and in anticipation of a reduction in the rate of production on its 737 jetliner to 14 a month from 21 a month, scheduled for October.

Young said it will seek to reassign the workers to other jobs and that the total number of layoffs also may be reduced by retirements or resignations.