Boeing CEO Admits Company Retaliated Against Whistleblowers
Boeing is learning what happens when it ignores internal safety complaints and retaliates against those delivering bad news. The company, once considered a model for other American manufacturers to follow, should have its seat belt fastened because of the extreme turbulence it’s hit. If you’re punished for doing the right thing at your employer, whistleblower MJB Law Group, APC can help.
California whistleblowers have the right to protect themselves from retaliation and seek compensation for the damages they incur. Call our experienced MJB Law Group, APC Tustin whistleblower attorneys today at (949) 266-0880 to discuss your situation and legal options.
Who is a Whistleblower?
A whistleblower is an employee who reports unethical or illegal work activities. They can include safety or environmental problems, discrimination, hazardous work conditions, or wage theft.
They may report their concerns to their employer, a government agency, or an outside organization. Whistleblowers stand up for what they think is right, but their employer may reward this integrity with retaliation. It can include the following:
- Job termination, either through being fired or laid off, often for false reasons
- Demotion
- Transfer to a less attractive position
- Pay cut
- Harassment
Whistleblower retaliation is illegal, and a whistleblower law firm can file a civil lawsuit against your current or former employer.
Boeing Engineer Complains Safety Problems Are Ignored
Two US Senate committee hearings were held in April concerning Boeing and safety management problems with their 737 MAX jets. A section of a 737 Max 9 blew off mid-flight during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. No one was injured or killed, perhaps because the two seats closest to the opening were empty. Before this incident, MAX jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019, killing 346 people.
Witnesses questioned the company’s processes and their planes’ safety, reports CNN. A Boeing engineer, Sam Salehpour, a whistleblower who testified, said he was threatened for telling his managers about safety concerns over several years, and he was testifying because he believes Boeing is producing defective planes.
Salehpour testified that when he brought up safety concerns, “I was ignored. I was told not to create delays. I was told, frankly, to shut up.” He claimed the company used “unmeasured and unlimited” force, including workers jumping on airplane sections, to fix misalignment problems. Despite this, gaps were greater than Boeing’s standards.
Salehpour stated, “When I bring something to my boss, he prevents me from even documenting or sending information. When a quality manager says don’t send to a subject matter to an expert… that’s concerning.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chairman, stated that the committee had heard from other Boeing whistleblowers, including a mechanic from its South Carolina facility. He claimed that when he raised his concerns, he was told he could lose his job, and many others were willing to work for the company.
Boeing CEO Admits Those Making Safety Complaints Suffered Retaliation
The committees’ follow-up hearing in June included a bombshell admission from CEO David Calhoun, according to the Independent. When asked how many whistleblowers the company has retaliated against, he responded, “I don’t have that number on the tip of my tongue, but I know it. I know it happens.”
Workers Working on Alaska Air Jet Retaliated Against
On August 7, during a hearing on Boeing safety issues, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy announced the company retaliated against two workers who were probably involved in removing the panel that came off the Alaska Airlines jet.
Homendy told the company its decision to move them from the door crew at the Renton, Washington, plant to a facility in Everett was retaliation. The company claims it doesn’t retaliate or discipline employees making unintentional mistakes. Homendy stated there was no evidence their mistakes were intentional.
Internal safety complaints and retaliation often came up during the hearing. Workers interviewed by the NTSB stated they were afraid to report safety concerns because they feared reassignment. One of the transferred employees described their new job as a “cage” and “Boeing prison.”
Boeing claims it has improved channels for workers to report safety problems and updated its anti-retaliation policy. The company claims it’s received more than 2,000 anonymous safety complaints so far this year. Boeing will decide what to do with these complaints and whether more workers will face retaliation.
Contact Our Tustin Whistleblower Lawyers
If you have been retaliated against for reporting wrongdoing, act quickly and seek legal advice. An MJB Law Group, APC whistleblower attorney can discuss your situation and applicable laws. We may help you file a complaint with the appropriate government agency, negotiate a resolution with your employer, or file a legal action seeking damages for your harm.
Contact our law firm for a FREE case evaluation and consultation with a whistleblower lawyer in Tustin. Call us today at (949) 266-0880 or fill out our confidential contact form.
Michael J. Berry is the founder and principal attorney of MJB Law Group. His complete focus within the legal field revolves around litigation, as he solely champions the causes of employees whose labor rights have been transgressed, as well as regular individuals who have suffered an injury due to another person’s carelessness. Mr. Berry is Board Member for the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and also a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and Consumer Attorneys of California. Learn more about Michael here.
