Boeing Machinists in S.C. to vote on union Sept. 10

Published 3:00 pm Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Machinists at Boeing’s newly acquired South Carolina facility will vote on Sept. 10 whether to end union representation there.

Boeing recently bought 787 partner Vought’s factory in Charleston. The move has created concern here in Washington that Boeing will decide to open a second 787 final assembly line in South Carolina rather than in Everett.

Just as Boeing was announcing its decision to buy Vought’s 787 facility, the company’s “new” Machinists there began circulating a petition to decertify the union.

Boeing executives have complained about the frequency of labor stoppages by its Machinists union here in the Puget Sound region. The Machinists struck for 57 days last year. However, even Boeing acknowledges some responsibility for its bruised relationship with the union.

Whether Boeing and the Machinists can repair their relationship seems to be the deciding factor for where the aerospace giant will place its second 787 line. Washington lawmakers worry if Boeing puts the line elsewhere that the company eventually could leave the state completely.

Boeing is expected to make a decision on the 787 line this year.

For more on the South Carolina Machinists’ vote, check out this Charleston Regional Business Journal story.