The CEO of Boeing has admitted the company retaliated against whistleblowers who have spoken out against alleged production malpractices, telling a special Senate hearing: “I know it happens.”
David Calhoun apologized to the families of Boeing crash victims, saying the manufacturer was “totally committed” to future saftey improvements, as he began testimony at the committee on Tuesday.
It comes as the embattled aircraft manufacturer faces a string of lawsuits relating to malpractice, after a door plug of a 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
Multiple whistleblowers have since come forward with concerns about violations of safety during production inspections, and many have claimed they were “retaliated” against by Boeing.
Asked about how many Boeing employees had been disciplined for retaliating against whistleblowers, Calhoun responded: “I don't have that number on the tip of my tongue, but I know it. I know it happens.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chaired the hearing told him: “You have a duty to demand the highest safety standards... and [ensure] that ‘speak up’ in fact means speak up, not shut up, as it is meant all too often.”
