Boeing announced Tuesday night it planed to reduce its workforce at its commercial aircraft division by 20,000 or 30,000 workers by the end of 2002 as a result of last week's terrorist attacks.

"This is a horrible situation," Boeing Commercial president and chief executive Alan Mulally told reporters late Tuesday. "We were on a very positive track, and this is a very sad thing for all of us."

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney expressed her dismay at this decision.

"Boeing needs to do the patriotic thing and not lay-off these workers. Every American, every industry, every business has been effected by this horrible tragedy. Now Boeing plans to put 30,000 hard working Americans out of a job. Meanwhile, Boeing CEO Philip Condit raked in $18, 697,991 in total compensation last year. And while I'm sure Boeing Commercial Airlines President Alan Mulally is very sad about putting so many loyal employees out on their ears, his $8.5 Million paycheck will probably help ease his pain," McKinney said.

The company will likely start handing out pink slips within three weeks, and layoffs will begin two months later. Layoffs will be made across all airplane models and across the country. In 1995, Boeing laid off 25,000 workers, yet Boeing CEO Phil Condit received a 14.6% pay raise and a $3.3 million windfall.

"It is ludicrous that Boeing is claiming financial crisis while the CEO and President of Boeing are making unprecedented salaries. The average Boeing worker would have to work until 2733 A.D. to make what CEO Condit made last year. The top four salary earners at Boeing made a combined $41.9 million last year alone. Perhaps Boeing is only using this tragedy to hide its true intentions, corporate downsizing. I challenge Boeing's leadership to do what is right for their workers, to do what is right for America, and tighten their bloated salaries to prevent the loss of thousands of jobs," concluded McKinney.

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