Podcasts > PBD Podcast > Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

By Patrick Bet-David

This episode delves into the concerning shift away from safety and quality at aerospace giant Boeing. After a former quality control manager, John Barnett, blew the whistle on the company prioritizing production speed and profits over established safety protocols, critics argue Boeing must overhaul its culture to refocus on its original core values.

The podcast also examines the challenges whistleblowers like Barnett face, from inadequate legal protections to the personal toll of enduring lengthy bureaucratic battles. Barnett's case, marred by tragic circumstances, highlights the need for stronger support systems for those sounding the alarm on critical issues within major corporations.

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Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

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Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

1-Page Summary

Boeing's Culture Shifting Away From Safety and Quality

Boeing has come under severe scrutiny as its longstanding reputation for aviation safety and quality seems to be eroding. John Barnett, a former quality control manager at the company's South Carolina plant, has publicly condemned Boeing for abandoning safety practices due to management pressure. Since the company's merger, Barnett highlights an increasing disregard for established safety protocols. Efforts to ensure procedural adherence were met with resistance and ridicule. This decline in safety and quality culture has significant parallels with the issues seen in the Boeing 737 MAX program, where similar dangerous shortcuts were taken.

Boeing Needs Culture Change Focusing Back on Safety and Quality

Critics argue that Boeing desperately requires a cultural overhaul that re-prioritizes safety and quality. Celebrated for his bravery in speaking out, John Barnett sought to alert top management, including Boeing's CEO, about the company prioritizing production speeds and shareholder value over safety and product reliability. Critic Robert Turkewitz condemned Boeing's failure to engage with its own experts to address problems. The company is accused of valuing shareholder interest over customer safety and product quality, calling for a profound shift back to its original core values.

Challenges and Failures Whistleblowers Like John Barnett Face

Whistleblowers like John Barnett endure significant challenges, from systemic failures in whistleblower protections to crippling legal delays. Compatibility with Air 21, designed to protect such individuals, is questionable as OSHA seems under-equipped. The process of seeking justice is marred by bureaucracy, reflected in Barnett's nearly eight-year struggle with his complaint and the lack of support from the system. Despite no direct assertion of causality, the circumstances around Barnett's suicide suggest the immense stress and frustration from his whistleblower experience possibly contributed to his death. The case continues to raise concerns about the toll these battles take on individuals sounding the alarm on critical safety and quality issues within corporations like Boeing.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It is a federal agency in the United States that sets and enforces standards to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees. OSHA also provides guidance on whistleblower protections for employees who report violations of workplace safety and health regulations. In the context of the text, OSHA's role is mentioned in relation to whistleblower protections and the challenges faced by individuals like John Barnett who raise concerns about safety and quality issues in their workplaces.
  • Whistleblowers seeking justice often face challenges due to inadequate whistleblower protections and legal delays. The process can be hindered by bureaucratic hurdles, leading to prolonged struggles for resolution. Whistleblowers may encounter systemic issues that make it difficult to address their concerns effectively. These challenges can contribute to immense stress and frustration, impacting the well-being of those who come forward with critical information.

Counterarguments

  • Boeing has a long history of commitment to safety and quality, and the issues raised may not reflect the company's culture as a whole but rather isolated incidents or the actions of specific individuals.
  • The company has taken steps to address the issues raised by the 737 MAX incidents, including leadership changes and revising its safety procedures and protocols.
  • Boeing operates in a highly regulated industry, and its aircraft are subject to rigorous testing and certification processes by aviation authorities, which serve as checks on safety and quality.
  • The pressures of maintaining a competitive edge in the aerospace industry can lead to tensions between production efficiency and thoroughness, but this does not necessarily mean that safety is being compromised.
  • Whistleblower protections are complex and may require careful navigation, but there are instances where whistleblowers have been successfully protected and their concerns addressed.
  • The tragic outcome of John Barnett's situation may not be directly attributable to his whistleblower activities, as personal circumstances can also play a significant role in such events.
  • Boeing's engagement with shareholders and focus on production speeds could be seen as a response to market demands and the need to deliver value to investors, which is a common practice in publicly traded companies.
  • Criticisms of Boeing's culture may be based on a selective interpretation of events, and the company may have many instances of upholding the highest safety and quality standards that are not as widely reported.
  • The aviation industry is continuously evolving, and Boeing, like any large organization, faces challenges in adapting its culture and practices to meet new safety standards and technological advancements.

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Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

Boeing's Culture Shifting Away From Safety and Quality

Boeing, once a synonym for aviation safety and an industry benchmark for quality, faces stark scrutiny as its culture appears to be veering away from its core values.

Concerns Over Boeing South Carolina Plant Cutting Corners and Pressuring Employees

Quality control manager John Barnett retired in 2017 after his stint at Boeing's South Carolina plant. He began to publicly address what he perceived as a hazardous shift away from standard safety practices driven by management pressures.

John Barnett's complaints about Boeing SC management pressuring workers not to follow proper procedures

Barnett has made various allegations indicating that the plant's management team pressured employees not to adhere to established safety protocols. He asserts that the situation markedly declined post-merger. Before the merger, his input was valued; following it, he claims he was ridiculed and his concerns trivialized.

Barnett, who joined the Charleston plant due to his extensive experience in processes and quality control, found a culture of negligence where the norm was to push back against following proper procedures. His attempts to encourage compliance with safety standards were met with resistance, reflecting a change he found profoundly concerning.

Similar Issues Now Evident with Boeing 737 MAX

The problems Barnett documented at Boeing's South Carolina plant bore alarming resemblances to those later publicized with the 737 MAX program. Although he made repeated internal complaints, he sensed an overwhelming institutional reluctance to address the dangerous shortcuts being taken.

John Barnett tried unsuccessfully to get Boeing leadership to listen to concerns

Barnett sought to convey his worries directly to Boeing's CEO, hoping to illustrate the drastic shift from a company that once prioritized safety to one now seemingly more focused on shareholders over product reliability.

Serious Impacts Already Faced and More Reckoning Ahead

The cultural shift at Boeing has resulted in tangible repercussions, from diminishing market value to a decline in consumer trust.

Declining public confidence in Boeing safety and quality

Public confidence in Boeing has been shaken due to persistent reports of serious maintenance problems, such as parts fallin ...

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Boeing's Culture Shifting Away From Safety and Quality

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Boeing's South Carolina plant is a significant manufacturing facility for the company, located in North Charleston. It was established to expand Boeing's production capacity and reduce costs. The plant has been involved in the production of various Boeing aircraft models, including the 787 Dreamliner. Issues related to safety and quality at this plant have raised concerns about Boeing's overall corporate culture and practices.
  • John Barnett was a quality control manager at Boeing's South Carolina plant. He retired in 2017 and raised concerns about a shift away from safety practices post-merger. Barnett faced challenges in getting management to prioritize safety standards, leading to a decline in his perceived value within the company. His attempts to address safety issues internally were met with resistance, reflecting a concerning cultural shift at Boeing.
  • The Boeing 737 MAX program faced significant issues related to the design of its automated flight control system known as MCAS, which led to two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. These crashes, involving Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, raised concerns about the aircraft's safety and certification process. Boeing was criticized for its handling of the situation, including allegations of rushing the aircraft's development and certification to compete with Airbus. The incidents resulted in the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX fleet and a thorough review of Boeing's safety practices and regulatory oversight.
  • Boeing has experienced a significant decline in public confidence due to reports of maintenance issues and safety concerns, leading to instances of employees expressing reluctance to fly on Boeing planes. This erosion of trust has also translated into a loss of market value for Boeing, with billions of dollars being shed as a result. The public's perception of Boeing's commitment t ...

Counterarguments

  • Boeing has a long history of aviation excellence and has often led the industry in safety and innovation; the current issues may not fully represent the company's overall commitment to safety and quality.
  • The allegations made by John Barnett are serious, but they represent a single perspective and may not reflect the experiences or opinions of the broader workforce at Boeing.
  • Boeing has taken steps to address the issues with the 737 MAX, including design changes, additional pilot training, and enhanced scrutiny from aviation authorities, which could indicate a renewed commitment to safety.
  • The aviation industry is highly regulated, and Boeing's aircraft must meet rigorous safety standards set by aviation authorities before they can enter service, suggesting that safety is still a priority.
  • The loss in market value and decline in consumer trust could be temporary setbacks, and Boeing may have the capacity to recover its reputation through corrective actions ...

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Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

Boeing Needs Culture Change Focusing Back on Safety and Quality

Boeing faces sharp critique that it needs a significant reorganization to refocus on safety and quality, as industry experts and insiders emphasize the company’s drift from these fundamental concerns.

John Barnett a Hero for Speaking Up and Trying to Save Boeing

John Barnett is celebrated as a whistleblower who had the foresight to recognize and call out Boeing's shift from prioritizing safety and quality to focussing on shareholder value. It was Barnett who noted that the company’s emphasis on speeding up production and moving the assembly line had taken precedence over maintaining its traditionally high standards. By speaking up, Barnett attempted to prevent what he saw as an impending reckoning due to these practices.

Boeing Has Never Gone to Its People to Address Problems

Turkewitz criticizes Boeing for not utilizing its own workforce to seek out problems and find solutions. It has been observed that over the past 20 years, this internal consultation was bypassed presumably to protect shareholder value. By neglecting the insight of its engineers and technicians, Boeing has missed opportunities to address critical sa ...

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Boeing Needs Culture Change Focusing Back on Safety and Quality

Additional Materials

Clarifications

...

Counterarguments

  • Boeing may argue that it has always maintained a commitment to safety and quality alongside its business objectives, and that any perceived shift in focus does not reflect the company's core values or operational reality.
  • It could be argued that John Barnett's actions, while commendable, represent one perspective and that Boeing has multiple channels for employees to report concerns, which are taken seriously and addressed appropriately.
  • Boeing might contend that it has engaged with its workforce in various ways to solve problems, and that there are established processes for employees to contribute to the company's continuous improvement efforts.
  • The company could assert that shareholder value is not inherently at odds with customer satisfaction and product quality, and t ...

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Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett's Attorney Robert Turkewitz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 387

Challenges and Failures Whistleblowers Like John Barnett Face

The story of John Barnett, a whistleblower who faced a grueling and ultimately tragic series of events, sheds light on the systemic issues that whistleblowers encounter, such as lack of support and prolonged legal battles, which can lead to severe personal stress and even suicide.

System Failing Whistleblowers Like John Barnett

The system purportedly designed to protect whistleblowers is often inadequate, as highlighted by the need to amend the Air 21 law to provide more protection for them. This is in part due to OSHA being under-manned and underfunded, contributing to the failure to adequately support whistleblowers like John Barnett.

Years-Long Delays and Process Problems in John Barnett's Case

The process for whistleblowers to seek justice is fraught with delays and obstacles. In John Barnett's case, it took almost four years for OSHA to investigate his Air 21 complaint. The process to get to litigation then took an additional four years. During this time, documents were difficult to obtain from Boeing, with motions to compel required twice, and even with court orders, not all the promised or ordered discovery documents were produced. This drawn-out process reflects the systemic issues within the whistleblower support mechanism.

Stress and Frustration Over Case Led to John Barnett's Suicide

Despite no explicit mention in the input data of direct links between John Barnett's stress and frustration over his whistleblower case and his suicide, the circumstances imply a strong connection. Barnett had indicated that he was not suicidal and suggested that any harm coming to ...

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Challenges and Failures Whistleblowers Like John Barnett Face

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • The connection between stress over a whistleblower case and suicide can be complex. While not explicitly stated, prolonged stress and frustration from legal battles and lack of support can significantly impact a whistleblower's mental health. In John Barnett's case, the seven-year ordeal and systemic failures ...

Counterarguments

  • The system designed to protect whistleblowers may have some support mechanisms in place, but they could be overwhelmed due to the complexity and number of cases.
  • OSHA's limitations in manpower and funding might be a result of broader budgetary constraints affecting many government agencies, not just those involved with whistleblower protection.
  • Delays in the justice system can be attributed to a variety of factors, including but not limited to the complexity of the case, the volume of cases in the system, and procedural safeguards to ensure fairness.
  • The length of time from complaint to litigation in John Barnett's case, while regrettable, may not be entirely indicative of systemic issues and could be an outlier rather than the norm.
  • Difficulties in obtaining documents from Boeing could be due to legitimate legal concerns or privacy issues rather than intentional obstruction.
  • The connection between John Barnett's stress over his case and his suicide, while implied, may not be direct or the sole factor, as suicide is often the result of a complex interplay of various factors.
  • The doctor's warning about the risk of a heart attack may not be solely attributable to stress from the whistleblower case; other health or personal factors could also be at play.
  • The questioning of the ...

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