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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Everett loses out on second Boeing 787 assembly line 10/28/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, October 23, 2009 Second 787 line in Everett may hinge on Machinists The Machinist president says any talk about a no-strike pact with Boeing in an effort to win a second line would go to a union vote. By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT — Members of the Boeing Co.'s Machinists union could have a say in where the company locates its second 787 assembly line. Local Machinist president Tom Wroblewski reacted Thursday to speculation that talks with Boeing include implementing a “no-strike” policy in the Puget Sound region in exchange for the second line or for production of future Boeing planes. “If these ongoing discussions produce anything outside of the current contract language, it will be brought to the membership and voted on,” Wroblewski said, in a statement. “Our members have the final say.” After a 57-day strike last fall, Boeing and the Machinists agreed to a four-year contract. Since then, Boeing bought out its 787 supplier in Charleston, S.C. Boeing chief executive Jim McNerney confirmed Wednesday that the company has narrowed its second 787 line site list to Charleston, where workers recently decertified their union, and Everett, the location of Boeing's original 787 line. With a Boeing board meeting set for next week, and permits for a potential Charleston factory expansion set to start Nov. 2, time is running short for Boeing and its Machinists union to reach a compromise, local leaders say. “It is critically important that the Boeing Co. and union continue their discussions as it relates to improving their relationship and keeping the 787 line in Everett,” said Ray Stephanson, mayor of Everett. Stephanson sees plenty of reason for putting the second assembly line at Boeing's existing factory in Everett. The state already has made its pitch for the second line. Washington lawmakers offered more than $3 billion in tax incentives to land the original 787 line in 2003. “Clearly Everett has made its case from a business perspective,” Stephanson said. “Everything is ready here.” Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon believes there's more significance for the region than just the second 787 line. If Boeing and the Machinists can't repair their relationship in time to keep the second line here in Everett, then Reardon sees the state's aerospace industry declining and Washington losing out on Boeing's replacement programs for the 737 and 777. “It is critical that we do not let the second 787 line go to South Carolina,” Reardon said. Boeing has relied on its members in Everett to fix problems created by its far-reaching 787 supply chain — a supply chain that has been blamed for its role in more than two years of delays to the lightweight, fuel-efficient jet. On Wednesday, McNerney noted one of the company's gripes with Everett: labor strikes. Work stoppages financially hurt Boeing and damaged its reputation with its customers, McNerney said. Workers in Charleston voted to decertify the union there in September. “Some of the modest inefficiencies ... associated with a move to Charleston are certainly more than overcome by strikes happening every three or four years in the Puget Sound” area, he said. Boeing may face more opposition to South Carolina than just from its Machinists union. The company's engineers union said Thursday that it would work to unionize the Charleston engineers should Boeing locate the second 787 line there. “Certainly, we would mobilize if Boeing picks South Carolina,” said Bill Dugovich, spokesman for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace. READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out Blaming the IAM ? More BA hogwash Even if the IAM leaders agree to take it to the members for a vote- by that time, the BA bored will have decided to establish a line at SC. Even IF IAM agrees to a no strike or similar restrictions, Its doubtful that SPEEA would rollover likewise. Given the great record of credibility by the BA hydroplane crew ( MISS- MANAGEMENT ), and the (LACK OF) credibility of the Board, the drumbeat for blaming it on the union(s) just re-inforces the perception of near total incompetence. Boeings policy towards unions has long been Bribe em or bust em. For example Tom Baker of IAM, Boeing skated on that issue, since Both sides should have been hammered. D S | Oct 23, 2009 11:02 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal The bottom line I am so tired of seeing the strikes here in Everett. Every time the contract comes to an end they strike, they're never happy with this or that. Everywhere I look these Boeing workers get percentages off at coffee stands and at department stores and they make plenty of money ! What is wrong with this picture ? It's a joke ! A big joke ! I wish the rest of us would receive percentages off at our local coffee stands as well as in the department stores. It would sure help the low income people too but no let's give all the price cuts to the well-to-do Boeing employees because that makes sense, not ! They need to be satisfied with what they have and get down on their knees and thank God they have a job, especially in this economy where hundreds of thousands of people have no jobs. And that's the bottom line. a d | Oct 27, 2009 7:53 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Risky business Likely though it may be, a decision to locate the 2nd line in Charleston would underscore the irrationality of Boeing's top management and BoD. Such a move has a low likelihood of success given the Charleston site's performance & history thus far. It is a high-risk option that the 787 program can ill afford, and McNerney's assessment of "modest inefficiencies" is typical for the gross underestimation and/or misrepresentation that Boeing has propagated for this program. Even the stock analysts (who don't know squat about making airplanes) are beginning to question the sanity of a potential decision to place more work in Charleston, troubled relationship with IAM notwithstanding. Boeing would also be wise to tread very lightly with respect to placing large amounts of work offshore at the expense of facilities in the U.S. They would do so at their own political peril, as they are still heavily dependent on benefactors on Capitol Hill to support the Defense side of their balance sheet (example: C-17 production would cease if it were not for recent intervention by interested members of Congress). Within the U.S., they can place work (i.e. voters) in any state they want & find supportive legislators. But unfortunately for Boeing there are no U.S. congressional reps from China or India, and would likely miff the congressional delegation of any state from which they would displace large numbers of worker-voters. Mojojojo | Oct 23, 2009 8:11 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) I have a very dark feeling you're right Richard. As sad and pathetic as that is. American manufacturing means nothing anymore. We have absolutely no domestic sustainability left. CC At the Big B | Oct 23, 2009 7:03 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) All consumers really need to see is how things have been since the "new generation" of Boeing management has been at the helm. Cheaper is not always better, that's why there have been such difficulties w/ suppliers and vendors and w/ little accountabiity, these problems will in no way cease by moving part of the operations to a non-union factory. Blaming the workers for the management's shortcomings is weak-knee'd and hypocritical. Is that why they are hiring and promoting so many more managers? The ones who don't actually work on the planes but have the ability to shine on their managers when problems constantly crop up? I am proud to work for a company whose history of safe and well-built aircraft is unmatched, but management is a walking time bomb. What needs to happen to is shed the likes of McNerney, who simply walked from one company he put on the brink into the next one. CC At the Big B | Oct 23, 2009 7:01 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal You have got to be kidding me!!! McNerney is still trying to blame the strike on what his leadership has done to the Boeing company in his short tenure? Wow!! ian most | Oct 23, 2009 12:10 am | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal experience in setting up an assembly line It doesn't matter what the mechanics do. Boeing has already made up its mind. Charleston's Vought plant was a failure and Boeing had to purchase it to save the 87. Boeing wants to be in the engineering business not the assembly business and China wants to be in the assembly business. Once Boeing has worked through the kinks of setting up a plant in a place where they don't have commercial aerospace workers and the technology and have streamlined their processes, they're gone. How many times have plants set up in the south and then have the equipment and set up moved directly out of the country? How many factories have moved from the north to the south and then shut their doors and moved out to Mexico or in this case China. Less of a union problem in China, a better supply line with all the manufacturing done in both China and Japan, China is a cash cow holding the US debt and Boeing has already given China the wings. I think its hard luck on Charleston as they will be stuck with the infrastructure they will have built up for Boeing but hey.. we all have our own problems and what 6 years of ironing out the kinks will sustain some of their population. Why they think Boeing will stay when China offers so much more than Charleston can give? They have their touristry business to fall back on. As far as the mechanics, engineers and workers here? Best thing in the world to happen to them is to know Boeing is leaving the area. What everyone is not saying is that the Puget Sound is becoming a medical research, development and producer. Everyone said when Lockheed closed down in the San Francisco Bay Area that it would kill the economy. It did not. We grew more. We have businesses and ideas yet to tap and we have a significantly educated workforce. richard michaelson | Oct 23, 2009 3:03 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

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