A week after Boeing indefinitely extended its layoff of 30,000 employees, it’s recalling about 2,500 of them and some will be at work on Monday. According to the Seattle Times, the workers will head back to plants carrying out defense projects and also those maintaining the hundreds of stored Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Critical lab workers and some of those working on the P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft and KC-46 tankers will be called back.
The company is taking measures to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission by conducting medical checks of every employee before each shift and by providing each employee with a full set of personal protective equipment. Unions have reviewed the measures and told employees they can report for work if they want to. “The company has assured SPEEA (Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace) that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be supplied to employees … It is vital everyone use PPEs and follow the distancing guidelines,” SPEEA told members in an email message.
Maybe Boeing can lead the way to find a company who can provide a serology/antibody test. How about Quest? They would be smart to develop that quickly. They’d make a mint from essential service companies who want to feel safe about whether or not their protocols are working.