The company on Tuesday sent an email to 12,000 workers announcing that voluntary buyouts would be offered, although only a part of those employees will be eligible. Those who are eligible will receive invitations by Friday.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/1foTRTn ) the eligible employees work in Missouri and Illinois.

The email says the buyouts are an effort to reduce costs in what the company called the “toughest business environment in a generation.”

Tuesday’s announcement doesn’t affect union employees.

Boeing would not say how many employees it hopes will take the buyouts. The company employs about 15,000 people in the St. Louis region.