Boeing Strike Hits Triumph Plant

SPOKANE — The machinist strike that has brought the Boeing Company to a standstill in Puget Sound has now caused Triumph Composites in Airway Heights to begin laying off their workers.

Mike Shelstrate, Human Resources director for Triumph Composites, confirmed that the plant in Airway Heights would be laying off between 40 and 40-percent of their staff. The layoffs will impact every department at Triumph, which builds components for Boeing aircraft.

Employees were warned in August that layoffs might happen in the wake of the Boeing machinists strike. This coming Thursday the company will announce who exactly will be getting laid off.

The layoffs will be effective September 19th. Mike Shelstrate said that if the machinists strike extends into late September or early October more layoffs could be possible.

Once the machinists strike is over Triumph anticipates being able to hire every back almost immediately.

Triumph Composite Systems, which employs 550 people, currently supplies everything from floor paneling to glare-shields and drip-shields for the Boeing Company.