If Boeing leaves, all Washingtonians lose

Tensions soared on Monday as the Boeing Co. unveiled a newly plastered logo on its recently-acquired facility in North Charleston, S.C. Hours later, politicians and experts in the field gathered at the gallantly-dubbed “Saving Washington Aerospace” conference in Lynnwood discuss how to maintain Washington as a competitive niche within the international aerospace industry. Although their efforts were commendable, what we need to do now is to broaden the discussion even further.

Considering the stumbling economy, backlogged orders, disgruntled customers, plummeting stocks, work stoppages, and its structurally flawed wing section, Boeing management has every reason to be frustrated and to count its options. Potential strikes in the future by its unionized machinists have become a critical concern; especially in lieu of the costly 58-day strike last autumn. But should a second 787 assembly line be established in South Carolina, everyone in Washington loses.

The most obvious losers would be Boeing’s aerospace machinists. A second, non-unionized production site would slash the efficacy of the Everett International Aerospace Machinists’ (IAM) primary weapon: labor strikes. In addition, parallel competition between two plants will be good for big business, but not necessarily for the workers. If Boeing places a second assembly line South Carolina, the future of the aerospace industry in Washington — along with the stability of existing jobs — will be at the mercy of the Charleston plant’s future performance.

Boeing also has something to lose. Creating a viable technical infrastructure manned by a skilled workforce to match those of Everett would take a huge amount of time and investment. The reallocation may even provoke the wrath of disgruntled Washington machinists before the Charleston workforce can be fully mobilized, pushing back the projected release date of the 787 even further. The prolonged delay could prompt more customers to back out of their contracts. Last fall, Boeing had more than 900 orders; that number is now about 850.

But between the two, IAM risks the most losses in the long run, with limited choices: it can negotiate with Boeing management and agree to relinquish some of its rights to strike while preserving other union platforms or it can refuse compromises and watch as a non-unionized workforce in Charleston becomes fully operational. Either way, the union is bound to lose some of its bargaining chips.

But there is another potential loser.

The state’s aerospace industry is comprised of 600 companies and employs 86,000 people. Out of this hefty number, Boeing employs 30,000 people including engineers, management and machinists, and is the biggest employer in Snohomish County. Many of these employees live here, patronize local enterprises, pay city and state taxes, and send their kids to our public schools. Hannah Chae, a restaurant cashier in Everett, has weathered the turbulent economy and knows that when Boeing suffers, local businesses suffer as well. “About 30 percent of our regular customers are Boeing employees,” Chae said. “When Boeing employees are not faring well, whether through strikes or layoffs, our revenue also goes down the drain.”

The biggest losers, therefore, should a second line go to Charleston, will be our communities: the everyday people who benefit directly and indirectly from Boeing’s stability and the patronage of its employees.

The impact of the current Boeing crisis is far from isolated. Local politicians must facilitate an open line of communication — not just among professionals, Boeing, and members of the IAM, but with the community as well.

We all have something to lose, but we can minimize our losses by working together.



Yoo Jung Kim is a senior at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo.