This story originally appeared on AirlinesGeeks.com
Boeing dismantled its global diversity, equity and inclusion department on Thursday, according to a report by Bloomberg citing sources familiar with the matter.
The report states that staff from Boeing’s DEI office will be combined with another HR team focused on talent and employee experience. Sara Bowen, Boeing’s vice president who heads the DEI department, also announced her resignation from the company on Thursday.
“Today I am turning in my blue badge,” Bowen said in her LinkedIn post. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Boeing for the past five years. Our team strived every day to support the evolving brilliance and creativity of our workforce. The team accomplished so much – sometimes imperfectly, never easily – and dreamed of doing much more. It was all worth it.”
The DEI department is the latest workforce reduction within the company, as 17,000 jobs are reportedly slated for layoffs early next year.
AirlineGeeks has reached out to Boeing for comment.
The move comes as notable members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) are set to vote on a new contract offer on Monday. Since September 13, more than 33,000 IAM members have been on strike at Boeing sites in Washington, Oregon and California.
According to an IAM press release, the new contract proposal would provide a 38% pay increase over four years and a $12,000 ratification bonus. It would also reinstate Boeing’s Aerospace Machinists Performance Program (AMPP) incentive plan with a guaranteed minimum annual payout of 4% for both 2024 and February 2025.
In addition, the contract includes a 401(k) employer match of 100% to 8%, a special 4% company pension contribution into 401(k) and a pension multiplier of $105 per year for those covered by the pension plan.
The union rejected an earlier contract from Boeing after it was put to a vote last week, although sentiment may now be growing toward accepting the latest offer. IAM District 751 posted an endorsement of the latest offer on X/Twitter and called on members to approve the new contract.
“Your union endorses and recommends the latest IAM/Boeing contract proposal,” said IAM District 751. “It is time for our members to lock in these gains and confidently declare victory. We believe that it would not be right to ask members to continue on strike because we have had so much success.”
IAM District 751 President Jon Holden and IAM District W24 President Brandon Bryant issued the following joint statement in a union press release:
“The determination and solidarity of IAM members at Boeing has led to a new offering from the company that, if ratified, will enable employees to quickly catch up financially while setting a new standard for the industry on wages and other important protections – including important victories on the economy.” job security, safety, health care costs, retirement, bonus payments and more,” they said.
IAM International President Brian Bryant said a contract like this would send an inspiring message to all U.S. workers who want to join a union.
“Almost every employee in America knows what it’s like for a company to take too much and give too little,” Bryant said in the press release. By securing this agreement, IAM Union members have been given the opportunity to ratify a contract that would set a new standard for their industry.”
Voting is scheduled to close at 10:00 PM EDT on Monday, with vote totals expected to be announced afterward.
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