• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
FinanceBoeing

Boeing strike costs U.S. $1 billion of GDP in just two weeks as negotiations resume

By
Greg McKenna
Greg McKenna
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Greg McKenna
Greg McKenna
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 27, 2024, 9:39 AM ET
Boeing workers hold out a sign that says "Strike" in big red letters, as well as other smaller signs.
Boeing factory workers walked off the job on Sept. 13. M. Scott Brauer—Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The strike that has hobbled Boeing for two weeks is being felt not just at the company, but also across the entire country. As of Friday, the fallout from the strike accounts for a $1 billion reduction in U.S. GDP, according to estimates from Bjorn Markeson of economic analysis and modeling company IMPLAN.

Recommended Video

According to Markeson’s calculations, this loss totals $700 million in Washington State alone, almost half of which is accounted for by lost wages in the state.

Boeing’s latest offer did not appear to impress over 32,000 striking workers, but the costs are mounting on both sides. Production of 737s jetliners, Boeing’s headline commercial offering, has ground to a halt. The company has been forced to implement sweeping cost-cutting measures, including severe cuts to supplier spending, a pause on most purchase orders, a hiring freeze, and rolling furloughs for nonunion managers and employees one of out every four weeks.

The striking workers, meanwhile, received their final paychecks last week, the Associated Press reported. They’ll also lose their company-provided health insurance at the end of the month, Boeing confirmed.

The strike has cost Boeing workers and shareholders a combined $1.25 billion so far, according to estimates released by Anderson Economic Group, a different way of measuring the economic impact than gross domestic product. Boeing’s debt also sits at the precipice of being downgraded to junk, which would substantially raise borrowing costs for a company that is hemorrhaging cash.

Boeing strike hits supply chain, household spending

When it comes to the macroeconomic impact of the strike, Markeson told Fortune roughly half of the $1 billion overall loss in GDP was attributed Boeing’s drop in output. The other half, he said, came from reduced business for suppliers and decreases in household spending.

Typically, he said, the effects of such a shock on suppliers and labor income are roughly even, both locally and nationally. Boeing’s intricate supply chain extends globally, however, making that impact quite disperse. The decrease in consumer spending from machinists and other affected workers, meanwhile, is concentrated in the Pacific Northwest.

“Those supply-chain effects are happening in the rest of the country and globally,” said Markeson, a regional economist who also teaches at Brandeis University, “whereas the secondary effects that hit Washington State are the induced effects from household expenditures, as those employees have less money in their pocket.”

The strike has cost Boeing’s suppliers an estimated $144 million, according to Anderson, while non-Boeing workers in the Seattle area are down a projected $25 million.

Earlier this month, Boeing thought it had avoided a strike after it reached an agreement with union reps to raise pay by 25% over four years. Workers from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers overwhelming rejected the deal, however, and walked off the job on Sept. 13. Many are calling for a 40% increase in wages after years in which their pay hikes have lagged behind the rest of the industry.

Boeing said it made its “best and final” offer on Monday after two days of talks with union reps and federal mediators last week failed to produce an agreement. Local union leaders blasted the company for publicizing the offer before returning to the negotiating table. The union said it would refuse to vote on the proposal by Friday, the deadline Boeing set for the deal.

Both sides, however, said they would resume talks on Friday. The company’s stock rose 1.5% on Thursday, trading around the $155 mark after market open Friday, but remains down 38% on the year.

About the Author
By Greg McKennaNews Fellow
LinkedIn icon

Greg McKenna is a news fellow at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Forget the ceasefire — The U.S. and Iran are still exchanging attacks over the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran tries to shut down a competing route
Middle EastIran
Forget the ceasefire — The U.S. and Iran are still exchanging attacks over the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran tries to shut down a competing route
By Jason MaJune 27, 2026
1 hour ago
Atlanta Fed chief selection delay gives Warsh a say
BankingFederal Reserve
Atlanta Fed chief selection delay gives Warsh a say
By Jonnelle Marte, Saleha Mohsin and BloombergJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
SpaceX, Charter discussed mobile phone partnership in U.S.
North Americaspace
SpaceX, Charter discussed mobile phone partnership in U.S.
By Kelcee Griffis and BloombergJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
S&P keeps U.S. sovereign rating at AA+ with stable outlook
EconomyDebt
S&P keeps U.S. sovereign rating at AA+ with stable outlook
By Michael Mackenzie and BloombergJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
erik
AIJobs
‘It’s not going away’: The Stanford economist who called the AI entry-level jobs crisis early has the receipts
By Nick LichtenbergJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
The 30-year fixed mortgage was supposed to be predictable. Two costs quietly broke that promise
Real EstateHousing
The 30-year fixed mortgage was supposed to be predictable. Two costs quietly broke that promise
By Sydney LakeJune 27, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
8 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
Leon Black says Epstein's network included Elon Musk, Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, while saying 'I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde'
Politics
Leon Black says Epstein's network included Elon Musk, Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, while saying 'I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde'
By Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.