Boeing Keeps Adding To Growing Work Force Payroll Increasing At Rate Of 340 Workers Every Week

Just when the pace of hiring at Boeing was expected to slow, it has picked up again.

The company’s payroll continues to grow by an average of 340 workers per week, bringing total employment to nearly 233,000. And Boeing spokesman Peter Conte said the hiring trend is expected to continue for the rest of the year.

In Washington state, Boeing’s payroll surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time in six years.

Conte said the company still is looking for airplane production workers and employees with computing and engineering skills.

As of Sept. 30, Boeing had 232,800 employees companywide, with 100,200 in Washington state.

Boeing’s record high employment in Washington state came in 1989, with 106,670 workers.

While the September employment numbers appear to reflect additions of 7,800 employees from the previous month, Boeing says that’s not the case. Conte said Boeing has actually only hired about 2,400 workers - 1,700 in Washington state - since issuing its last employment status report Aug. 22.

The remaining employees are contract or temporary workers in various states that were not previously counted in Boeing’s monthly employment reports.

He said Boeing is getting a firmer handle on its total work-force count outside Washington state since the merger with McDonnell Douglas was completed Aug. 1.

Boeing’s hiring is aimed at easing problems caused by the company’s ambitious production rate increases.