Boeing, one of the biggest aerospace companies in the world, is going through a really hard time. The company’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has promised to make big changes to the way the company works. But at the same time, Boeing is dealing with a massive strike from its workers and a huge $6 billion loss in the last three months.

Workers on Strike, Losses Piling Up

Boeing’s workers have been on strike for almost six weeks now. Over 33,000 workers in Washington and Oregon stopped working because they couldn’t agree on a new contract. This has caused big problems for the company, especially because the workers are responsible for building Boeing’s popular airplanes like the 737 Max, 767, and 777. Without these workers, production has stopped, and the company is losing a lot of money.

In the last three months leading up to September 30, Boeing’s operating losses hit $5.99 billion, much higher than the $1.09 billion loss it had during the same time last year. Even though Boeing made $17.8 billion in revenue, this was still a 1% drop from last year.

The workers are now voting on a new contract that could end the strike. The deal being offered includes a 35% wage increase, which many hope will bring the workers back to their jobs.

A Tough Year for Boeing

This year has been particularly rough for Boeing. In January, there was a huge problem when the cabin panel of a new Max jet blew out during a flight. This caused new worries about the safety of Boeing’s planes. These concerns are not new for Boeing, which has faced safety issues in the past. Now, they’re under even more pressure to make sure their planes are safe and meet the expectations of airlines, passengers, and regulators.

Boeing’s defense business is also struggling. Its space division recently faced trouble when its Starliner spacecraft, which was meant to carry astronauts to the International Space Station, returned to Earth with the astronauts on board. This raised questions about the company’s space missions and added to Boeing’s list of challenges.

A Promise for Change

Kelly Ortberg, the new CEO of Boeing, knows the company is in trouble and needs big changes. He pointed out that Boeing’s reputation has taken a hit due to safety issues, the company has too much debt, and customers are disappointed with their performance. He has promised to work hard to fix these problems and turn Boeing around.

In a memo to employees and shareholders, Ortberg admitted that Boeing has a lot of work ahead. “This is a big ship that will take some time to turn, but when it does, it has the capacity to be great again,” he said. He emphasized that it won’t be easy, but he believes Boeing can recover and become successful again.

Ortberg stressed that company leaders need to be more involved in what’s happening on the ground. He wants executives to spend more time on factory floors and in engineering labs so they can better understand what’s going on with both their products and their people. This hands-on approach, he believes, will help Boeing identify and fix problems before they get worse.

Ortberg also urged his team to focus on action, not just words. He promised to shift Boeing’s culture by making real changes and getting results, rather than just talking about plans. He even invited workers and investors to judge him based on the company’s progress in the coming months.

Looking Forward with Hope

Despite all the challenges, Ortberg is hopeful. He believes the proposed contract with the workers will be accepted, which would bring the team back to work and help improve relationships between the company and its employees. But he also knows that getting the workers back is just the first step. “It’s much harder to turn this on than it is to turn it off,” Ortberg said, highlighting how challenging it will be to fix everything.

Ortberg has laid out a plan to help Boeing recover. First, the company needs to stabilize its business by improving how it executes its development programs. Boeing also needs to focus on what it does well and cut out the things it doesn’t. Finally, the company must work on fixing its financial problems so it can start working on its next commercial aircraft.

Challenges Ahead, But a Path to Recovery

Although Boeing has a long way to go, there are some bright spots. The company still has a massive backlog of orders, which means that there is plenty of work to be done once the strike is over. This could give Boeing the boost it needs to recover from its current troubles.

Shares in Boeing fell by over 1% on Wednesday, which shows that investors are still worried about the company’s future. But Ortberg remains confident. He believes that by fixing the company’s culture, improving performance, and rebuilding trust, Boeing will be able to bounce back stronger than ever.

In the end, it will take time and a lot of hard work, but Boeing’s new leadership is determined to steer the company in the right direction.