Attorneys for John Barnett, a former quality control engineer at Boeing, have released a complaint that alleges serious accusations against the aerospace company.
Barnett, who was found deceased in his pickup truck at a Charleston, South Carolina, hotel on March 9, had been involved in a legal case against Boeing, accusing the company of spying on him and retaliating against him for reporting manufacturing defects and safety standards violations.
The complaint, made public by Barnett’s lawyers, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, details allegations of a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation by Boeing’s management.
It includes claims of “gaslighting,” where Barnett was “continually harassed, denigrated, humiliated, and treated with scorn and contempt by upper management.” This was reportedly in response to Barnett’s efforts to highlight what he perceived as failures by Boeing to adhere to Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) safety standards.
Boeing Accused of Ignoring Internal Complaints and Safety Violations
A significant claim within the lawsuit refers to an incident in June 2014, where Barnett filed a complaint to Corporate Ethics against a manager (whose name has been redacted) for various procedural violations. Despite the complaint being substantiated by Corporate Ethics, the lawsuit alleges that no corrective action was taken.
Barnett, who retired in 2017, 10 years earlier than he had initially planned, cited the alleged retaliation as the reason for his premature departure from the company. He had served over 30 years with Boeing. The complaint also highlights a culture within Boeing where employees feared speaking out, as indicated by a statement from an anonymous Boeing mid-level manager to The Post, expressing concerns over job security and lack of trust among colleagues.
Documentation Practices at Boeing Questioned Amidst Legal Scrutiny
Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Boeing management of criticizing Barnett’s use of email to document defects and procedural violations, a practice mandated by FAA Standards and Regulations. Barnett is quoted in the complaint, stating in an email from September 2014, “Leadership wants nothing in email so they maintain plausible deniability.”
The case adds to the scrutiny Boeing faces over a series of quality control issues, including an incident where a door plug fell off mid-flight. The allegations, if proven, could have significant implications for Boeing’s operational and ethical practices.