For this assignment, you will listen to and/or read a few materials and then respond to questions.
First, listen to or read the transcript of this podcast episode from 2019 (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/podcasts/the-daily/boeing-dreamliner-charleston.html) on Boeing’s whistleblowers. You can read the transcript here:
boeing whistle 1.pdf
Then answer the following questions with reflective, detailed responses:
How long has Boeing operated this plane factory in Charleston? About how many jobs are there at this plane factory? Are these jobs new economy or old economy? Why (what characteristics of the jobs suggest this conclusion)?
In the last chapter of the textbook, the idea of risk was discussed. What risks are being taken on by either/both workers and Boeing at this plane factory? Who is responsible for those risks? How are those risks managed?
In chapter 5, Sweet and Meiksins discuss various ways of assessing intensity at work. In what ways are these jobs at the Boeing plant intense, or not?
Who is Swampy?
Reporter Natalie Kitroeff says:
“to be clear, the 787 Dreamliner has never crashed. It has a pristine safety record. And there’s no evidence that any of the problems that we document has led to major safety incidents. But since the crashes of those two 737 Max jets, the question that is being raised by lawmakers, by regulators, and by employees within Boeing is whether those three factors, safety, quality and speed, are always in balance — or whether sometimes, the competitive pressures that exist at the highest levels of this company are bearing down not just on the engineers as they design how this aircraft is going to work, but also on the factory floor, on the people who are responsible for assembling and manufacturing these aircraft.”
With all that being said, why does Swampy say, “I haven’t seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I’d put my name on that’s saying it’s safe and airworthy.”
How would you assess working conditions at the Boeing plant in Charleston? And how does this make you feel about these jobs being South Carolina jobs?
Next, there have been several updates in this story. Please read this article on the NYT website (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/business/john-barnett-boeing-whistleblower-dead.html?smtyp=cur&smid=fb-nytimes&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2L42FlGorHoJLDKWuadBA2Sez579lVMkNcob_Ns1uGWXx4sUSDoqkxIjE_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw) or read it as attached here:
boeing whistle 2.pdf
7. What has Swampy been doing since the 2019 NYT report? Do you have any way to know if his activities contributed to changes in operations at the Boeing plant?
8. Swampy was found dead earlier this spring as reported in that story. Here is a CBS Mornings Interview with his family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC7icDjRh5o. Many observers have suggested that his death is strange, leading to some speculation and conspiracy theorizing. I’m not what I make of all that, but I would like to know, how does reading about his activities the past 5 years and his death change (or not) your assessment of working conditions at the Boeing plant, and who takes which risks in that workplace, and the overall working conditions for employees there.
9. Do you have any questions for peers or your instructor about this material?
