Bottle some of that unity
Published 3:23 pm Thursday, July 8, 2010
Boeing Machinists, company representatives and a crowd of politicians will put on a high-energy show of unity this morning in support of Boeing’s bid to build the next generation of Air Force aerial refueling tankers.
The rally at the Everett Machinists Hall will tout the strength of Boeing’s bid, which is due today. The Everett-built 767, on which Boeing’s proposed tanker is based, has a long history of reliable performance, thanks to the unparalleled skills of the company’s local workforce. Clearly, those at today’s rally have plenty of reason to cheer.
While they’re at it, though, they should bottle some of that unity to use later. For even if Boeing wins the tanker sweepstakes against European rival EADS — the parent company of Airbus — its future as the region’s largest employer and main economic engine depends on a truly cooperative long-term relationship with its workers.
In the wake of Boeing’s decision last year to launch a second 787 production line in South Carolina rather than Everett, company leaders made clear that future such decisions would depend largely on long-term labor peace. Recent strikes by Machinists have damaged the company’s ability to make deliveries on time, and some customers have voiced their concerns openly.
In a global aerospace environment that’s becoming more competitive, there’s little margin for customer dissatisfaction. Work stoppages have to be avoided.
Beyond the tanker, Boeing faces decisions on what might replace its Everett-built 777, as well as its venerable, Renton-built 737. The South Carolina decision was the sternest warning possible that the next generation of these airplanes could be built anywhere. Our region is in a competition, one it can’t afford to lose.
That doesn’t imply a race to the bottom — in wages, benefits, taxes, or other policy considerations. It does mean that the state must continue to invest in worker training, especially with high numbers of current Boeing workers nearing retirement. And it means Boeing’s unions must make a long-term deal with the company that includes a no-strike pledge.
The alternative could be to see the company build the next 777 and/or 737 in another state, yanking thousands of jobs and possibly billions of dollars from our state’s economy.
Boeing estimates that winning the Air Force’s $35 billion tanker contract would support 11,000 new and existing jobs in Washington, with an annual economic impact of $700 million. That’s huge.
Huger still would be the impact of keeping Boeing here for generations to come. Let’s all rally around that goal, and make it a reality.
