Boeing’s New CEO Faces One-Two Punch a Month After Taking Over

Little more than a month since Boeing Co.’s new chief executive officer took over with a mandate to pull the planemaker out of crisis, things are moving in the opposite direction.

Kelly Ortberg now faces the dual challenge of negotiating an acceptable labor accord after the company’s first overture was rejected and 33,000 workers in the Seattle area decided to strike. Just hours after they walked out, Boeing’s credit rating risked being cut to junk, a move that would dramatically increase financing costs of the heavily indebted manufacturer.

Kelly Ortberg

Source: Boeing

The strike by members of the International Association of Machinists ...