Politicians trade blame over Boeing’s choice of Charleston

OLYMPIA — Republican legislators insisted Wednesday the state could have won the competition for a second 787 production line had it not been for the inaction of Democrats running the Legislature.

Democrats from the state capitol to Congress denied the charge, insisting Boeing Co. executives repeatedly told them the decision hinged on reaching an agreement with union workers and not a need for economic aid or other assistance from the state.

“People who blame the state government are barking up the wrong tree,” said U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash. “I don’t think the state had anything to offer that could have altered the dynamic of those talks.”

Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire said Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, delivered that message by phone Wednesday morning, hours before the announcement.

“He continued to maintain (to me) that there is nothing that you and Washington state could do” because it is up to the company and the union, she said.

Republican lawmakers said there’s been an anti-Boeing sentiment among Democrats in the state Legislature for some time. They believe Gregoire’s three visits to the picket lines during last year’s Machinists strike remained a sore point with top company officials.

“To call (Wednesday’s) announcement by Boeing disappointing is a gross understatement,” said Rep. Mike Hope, R-Lake Stevens, in a statement. “Gov. Gregoire and the majority party in the Legislature ignored the warning signs, and the price of Washington’s terrible business climate will be the loss of thousands of family jobs.”

Boeing officials might have set aside their frustration had Democrats enacted more business reforms sought by the aerospace firm in the 2009 legislative session, Republican lawmakers contend.

Instead Democrats pursued a union organizing bill detested by Boeing — and later shelved by party leaders to the chagrin of many members. While there was unemployment insurance reform enacted that Boeing backed, the die for Wednesday’s decision was likely cast, Republicans said.

“Gov. Gregoire claims that this was a negotiation between the union and Boeing. I strongly disagree,” Hope said in the statement.

“This was a negotiation between Boeing, the state of South Carolina and the state of Washington — and we lost. We lost because the business climate in our state needs immediate and dramatic improvement,” he said.

Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, echoed the sentiment in comments issued late Wednesday.

“Instead of providing a level playing field, Washington has consistently put up barriers that make it difficult not only for Boeing to compete, but also for other employers throughout our state,” he said.

While lawmakers disagreed on why the contest ended as it did, members of both parties agreed the focus now shifts to helping Boeing win the lucrative air tanker contract and ensuring the next generation of the 737 is built in Washington.

“The next battle starts today, right now,” said Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. “Today we lost thousands of jobs. We cannot afford to lose thousands more.”

Though Gregoire said she felt Boeing made the wrong decision it can’t and won’t weaken the state’s ties with the aerospace giant.

“We’re going to have to work together. We have no choice. There will be other competitions to come and first up is the tanker,” she said. “I not only expect Washington state to compete, I expect Washington state to win.”

Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, the ranking member of the House economic development committee, said the state Legislature “contributed to losing” the second 787 line.

That should be a lesson from Wednesday’s decision, she said.

“I think everybody bears a responsibility in this. We need to work together, all of us, to reestablish and reassert our commitment to manufacturing in Washington,” she said. “This isn’t just about aerospace. This is about the future of our state’s economy.”

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.