Requiem for a region

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, April 23, 2006

The completion of the last 717 marks not only the end of a production run at Boeing, it’s the end of commercial aerospace manufacturing in Southern California, the Associated Press noted in this story http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/04/24/100bus_cal001.cfm that ran in The Herald and many other papers today.

Key Quote: “Indeed, as corporate consolidation and defense cuts sent airplane production to Seattle, St. Louis and other regions, Southern California has moved from metal bending to aerospace research and development.”

Meanwhile, the Press-Telegram in Long Beach continued its coverage of the 717’s end today with two stories that raise themes familiar to anyone who lived through the post-September 11 layoffs at Boeing.

The first http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_3742097 is a profile of 81-year-old mechanic Henry DeVries, who once was one of 200 people working in the factories tool crib. Only three of them are left.

Key Quote: DeVries’ fellow workers have either been laid off over the years, or transferred to Boeing’s C-17 plant … or are testing the job waters. In a nearby department, four of six 717 workers are transferring to Boeing divisions in Torrance. The remaining two weren’t asked to transfer. … Still many others are opting for retirement … They’ve decided to pack their bags and, like Southern California’s commercial airplane history, fly into the sunset with the last 717 when it’s delivered in late May.”

The second story http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_3742098 notes that many 717 workers who have seniority are transfering to the C-17 line at Long Beach — and displacing younger workers there.

Key Quote: “That’s caused some hostility among a few C-17 workers, 717 and C-17 workers privately say. Why don’t they simply retire and not put out a younger C-17 worker, goes the argument.”

Here’s a link to a page that pulls all the Press-Telegram’s 717 stories and photos together:

http://www.presstelegram.com/boeing