Jim Albaugh, CEO of Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes Unit, presides over a company that has traditionally had a wonderful reputation. This comes from their unparalleled production of top-notch aircraft. This, however, could change.

the company cannot keep having strikes or raising wages at the rate it recently has. He said the Aerospace Machinists’ strike in 2008 cost the company $5 billion in cash. It also damaged the company’s reputation with its customers, who are now inserting into contracts that if an airplane is delivered late because of a strike, the company will have to pay penalties.

It might seem like a little thing–but even the smallest bit of damage to an international airplane producer’s reputation could give competitors the edge. Any company which suffers from frequent strikes, too, is bound to need a reputation manager sooner or later.

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