McCain, Obama and the Boeing factor

The Boeing Co.’s Machinists will cast two major ballots over the next week.

On Saturday, they’ll vote whether accept or reject Boeing’s latest contract offer. And, if they haven’t voted already, Boeing employees (Machinists and SPEEA members alike) will vote in the presidential election.

Yesterday, Politico had this piece about Republican John McCain’s chances to “flip a blue state to red.”

Washington state is “one of the few places where McCain’s expertise and intervention on military matters have become political liabilities.”

The reason: the state’s Boeing Co. voters who have a grudge against the Arizona senator’s meddling in the U.S. Air Force tanker competition. As Politico notes, McCain’s visits here haven’t always been well received.

Sen. Barack Obama gained the support of Boeing Machinists after Sen. Hillary Clinton failed to secure the Democratic nomination. This commentary in Forbes on Obama and “big labor” indicates why the senator from Illinois has the support of unions.

The Boeing engineers union, which starts serious contract talks with the company today, isn’t political and hasn’t endorsed a candidate. However, SPEEA does have a federal and state candidate Web page.

Lastly, Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader commented on the tentative agreement reached in the Boeing Machinists’ strike:

Their 8-week long resistance against Boeing’s unpatriotic off-shoring agenda resulted in losses of an estimated $5 billion to the company — a hard blow to a corporation aiming to set a record profit for another consecutive year. Boeing, which earned a net profit of $4.07 billion last year, almost double from 2006, can afford to negotiate a fair contract taking into account inflation and rising costs of food and housing, even if that means the company’s grossly overpaid executives will have to share some of the tremendous wealth they’ve acquired.

This strike at Boeing was indicative of the situation at large in this country where we find giant corporations wrapped up in greed and corruption attempting to cheat workers out of their deserved wages, benefits, health care, and even their jobs as they send them to countries overseas run by oligarchs and dictators.

Cast your vote now in our poll about Boeing’s latest offer to the Machinists:

( polls)

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)
Boeing adding new space in Everett despite worker reduction

Boeing is expanding the amount of space it occupies in… Continue reading

Water drips from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 after it received a water salute while becoming the first scheduled 737 arrival Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at Paine Field Airport in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Boeing and Airbus forecast strong demand for their jets

Boeing and Airbus project more than 40,000 new jets are needed.

Hundreds wait in line to order after the grand opening of Dick’s Drive-In’s new location in Everett on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In throws a party for opening day in Everett

More than 150 people showed up to celebrate the grand opening for the newest Dick’s in Snohomish County.

Patrick Russell, left, Jill Russell and their son Jackson Russell of Lake Stevens enjoy Dick’s burgers on their way home from Seattle on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. The family said the announcement of the Dick’s location in Everett “is amazing” and they will be stopping by whenever it opens in 2025. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In announces details for Thursday’s grand opening in Everett

Dick’s will celebrate its second Snohomish County location with four days of festivities.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.