Not all Machinists think voting is a good idea

A Saturday accounting of the Boeing 777X zeitgeist …

Not so fast …

After several days of inundation by calls and emails from Machinists angry about not being able to vote, we’re starting to hear more from District 751 members who think Boeing’s Thursday offer was as unworthy as President Tom Wroblewski said.

Writes one: “I spoke to many people at work today (Friday) and found no one that thought this thing was worthy of a vote.” He adds:

I believe that Boeing wants to build the 777X in Everett but wants to force something on us before making that announcement, as doing so would give us more leverage. … I’m thankful for the job I have, I’m not asking for more but also don’t think take-aways are in order since Boeing stock and profits are at a all-time high.

Another emailer:

I am a Machinist. I have talked with many of my brothers and sisters regarding the most recent offer from Boeing. There is absolutely no question the majority does not wish to vote on the counter offer, yet the media are reporting the opposite. Wow! you guys just write what you want and blatantly ignore reality. Go for a walk in the factory and ask around, you will quickly realize how ridiculous some of your reporting is.

And we got a lengthy and thoughtful analysis of the situation from a Machinist named Brian, of Arlington, who concludes:

I am comfortable with everything I have considered and cannot endorse the company’s proposal. I am offended by union leadership behavior, public officials’ statements of what they think is good for us and the selective disclosure of information. Please refrain from telling us what is good for us and let us have more participation and unvarnished facts so we can make informed choices.
The term “collective bargaining agreement” is self-defining. Together we live with decisions we make. To the newer union members, please trust the senior members. We have been where you are and understand. To all fellow union members I ask you to not be manipulated by selective information and instant bonuses but instead take a deep look at what has taken place, what we have now and make what you feel is a wise and educated choice for tomorrow.

Word from the Central time zone

Very funny column in the St. Louis Post Dispatch today by Kevin Horrigan, who notes that Boeing could have asked for a lot more than “help paying for its $10 billion plant, i.e., cheap (ideally, free) land, facilities and infrastructure.” Besides such things as actual human sacrifices,

Boeing could have demanded the removal of brown M&Ms, like David Lee Roth of Van Halen. It could have demanded naming rights. Want our plant? Name your state “Boeing.” It refrained, so St. Louis, MO, won’t become St. Louis, BO.

Hat tip to Scott Hamilton.

And Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune writes, “When it comes to corporate incentives, leave it to an aerospace company to test the limits of what will fly”:

Between Archer Daniels Midland, Sears Holdings, Ford and others, those of us in Illinois are hardly unaccustomed to seeing corporations rattling their cup. But the request for proposal on Boeing’s 777X is an incentive package on rocket fuel.