Yesterday the National Labor Relations Board withdrew their lawsuit against Boeing. Let’s try to connect the dots.
- In 2009, Boeing held a competition to chose a second site to build their new 787 fuel efficient wide body airplane, to meet their large backlog of orders. The State of Washington competed hard for this plant, as did several other states.
- In October 2009, the site selection committee chose South Carolina based on objective criteria like tax benefits, plentiful educated workforce, access to transportation for arrival of parts from around the world, access to local suppliers, local laws (right-to-work in South Carolina means the workers can work without joining a union), and other factors.
- Boeing spent $750 million building the plant and just as they were ready start up production…
- The majority Democrat NLRB filed a complaint against the company for moving jobs out of state to bust a union.
- The Republicans line up with Boeing.
Sen. Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican, introduced national right-to-work legislation in Congress in March.
- The Democrats line up with the NLRB. Pelosi: Stop wining and just join a union in South Carolina.
- In 2011, Boeing held a competition to chose a site to build their new 737-Max fuel efficient narrow body airplane, to meet their large backlog of orders. The State of Washington competed hard for this plant, as did several other states.
- In November 2011, The site selection committee chose Renton, Washington, home of the current 737 line, where the union is strongly entrenched, and the local skilled workforce has built narrow body planes for decades.
- The machinist union negotiated a four year contract with terms essentially unchanged from the current agreement
- The NLRB withdrew their complaint
Two interpretations:
- Nice company you have there, stockholders of Boeing. It would be shame is something happened to it. We bought and paid for the President, we want our money’s worth. Sick your attack dogs on them, Barak.
- Nice union you have there, workers of Boeing. It would be a shame if all the work went away. We pay your salaries and generous benefits on time, we want our money’s worth. Sign the new agreement and make the attack dogs go away.
I think they are both true. What do you think?
