Thousands of jobs at risk in Delaware County with Boeing Chinook program in jeopardy
Thousands of jobs in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, could be in jeopardy as uncertainty grows over the future of Boeing's Chinook helicopter program.
Boeing's manufacturing facility in Ridley Township employs thousands of workers, making it one of the county's largest employers. As the U.S. Army finalizes its budget, there are growing concerns it could reduce funding for or even cancel the Chinook program, putting the facility at risk of closing by 2030.
The potential impact extends beyond Boeing's workforce.
Jessica Gieder, manager of The Little Hut Sandwich Shop in nearby Ridley Park, said about 30% of her business comes from Boeing employees or companies connected to the plant.
"It's like a huge part of the community," Gieder said. "It really keeps businesses going around here."
State Rep. Dave Delloso, whose district includes the Boeing facility, said he supports efforts at the federal level to preserve the Chinook program. He warned that a shutdown would affect schools, local tax revenue and small businesses that rely on Boeing employees.
He said while the region has recovered from challenges before, replacing thousands of Boeing jobs would be difficult.
"Frankly, our community has been kicked around for a lot of years," Delloso said. "We're very resilient. We come back when there's opportunity, but there's no guarantee opportunity will show its face again in southeastern Delaware County, so the impact would be tremendous."
In a statement to CBS News Philadelphia, Boeing did not directly address concerns that the Ridley Township facility could shut down by 2030.
"We're honored to work with the Army and Congress to ensure the site, and its nation-wide network of suppliers, remains a national asset that continues to deliver critical Block II Chinook capability to the warfighter," Heather McBryan, vice president of Cargo Helicopter Programs and senior Philadelphia site executive, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said.
