Take Action: Save Kansas IT jobs!

Save Kansas IT jobs!

Stop Spirit AeroSystems from outsourcing Information Technology (IT) jobs

Spirit AeroSystems has started outsourcing Information Technology work to low-cost workers in other countries. After taking Kansas economic incentives to build its business, Spirit management is now sending the work away.

Send the following letter today and tell our elected officials to help save our jobs!

Talking Points

Stop Spirit from outsourcing IT jobs.

Spirit is outsourcing IT jobs from Wichita to IBM.
Jobs are going to IBM locations in Argentina, India and other countries.
Kansas helped Spirit with economic incentives.
Layoffs started Oct. 30.
Spirit says Kansas workers do not have the "global" skills necessary.
Spirit has not offered training for these "global" skills.
Jobs being offered to laid off Wichita workers are in different fields and pay less.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

Several hundred workers at Spirit AeroSystems (Spirit) in Wichita need your help or they will be unemployed.

On September 2, Spirit management informed our union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, that the company is outsourcing information technology (IT) work overseas and outside of Kansas (see enclosed).  Spirit officials said these job losses are part of a new corporate strategy. The outsourcing and layoffs are now taking place.

Employees and our union were told Kansas workers do not have the "global" skills Spirit needs. In meetings with union officials, Spirit management declined to explain what these necessary skills are, or offer training to keep Wichita workers employed. The company did offer about 37 employees jobs in other areas. These alternative jobs may be for lesser pay and leave workers at continued and increased risk of layoff.

The state of Kansas helped Spirit establish a profitable aerospace business in Wichita.  These IT employees are among the thousands who helped Spirit establish itself as a leading aerospace supplier for The Boeing Company, Cessna, Gulfstream, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Sikorsky and Airbus.  Now, employees must watch their good IT jobs be outsourced to low-paid workers in Argentina, India and other countries. After helping Spirit with economic incentives to establish and grow its business, Kansas taxpayers now will be saddled with the cost of providing unemployment checks to laid off Spirit workers.

We cannot afford to allow this large corporation to outsource Wichita's best jobs. As our elected official, we request you contact Spirit AeroSystems CEO Jeff Turner and demand he, and Spirit's Canadian owners, reverse course and abide by their commitment to enhance the Kansas economy and not pick it clean. As voting taxpayers, these IT employees also deserve assistance and training so that they can obtain the global skills Spirit claims are more prevalent in Argentina, India, Canada and other countries than in the people of Kansas.

Your help to keep employment strong in Kansas is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact either of us. You may also reach IFPTE Legislative Director Matt Biggs at - (202) 239-4880 or SPEEA Legislative Director Stan Sorscher at - (206) 433-0991.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Kansas state, county and Wichita
Representative Dennis Moore (if you live in Congressional District 3)
Representative Jerry Moran (if you live in Congressional District 1)
Representative Lynn Jenkins (if you live in Congressional District 2)
Representative Todd Tiahrt (if you live in Congressional District 4)
U.S. Senate Apropriations

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