Boeing Says Adiós, Amigos

In a move that I announced some time ago in one of my earlier blogs, Boeing confirmed Wednesday that it will be moving its second 787 manufacturing complex to Charleston, SC. This comes on the heels of what could be a continuation of the economic disaster that has hit Snohomish County. I learned Monday that more than an unexpected 530,000 NEW jobless claims were filed nationally. I also learned that Snohomish County will see a sharp increase in unemployment, the largest since 1932. Those October numbers will be out around the middle of November, but I have already gotten the preliminary numbers and they exceed the 10.4% U3 number I reported earlier. That means that the U6 number could be as high as 72,000 unemployed in this county.

As for Boeing, this is only the beginning. Earlier they moved their Boeing Aerospace division to Southern California as part of the McDonnell Douglas merger. Then shortly thereafter they moved their Boeing Military Airplane Division to St. Louis. I am sure everyone remembers that Boeing then closed their corporate headquarters and moved to Chicago. The remainder of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company also went to Chicago, leaving operations in Everett. Right now more than 3,000 layoffs are about to occur that will impact unemployment not only in Snohomish County but also King County as well. These pink slips will be going out just in time for Christmas.

What I learned yesterday is this: Boeing is leaving the State of Washington, PERIOD! It is now just a matter of time before every single Boeing job will be gone. Just another example of how the Washington State Democratic party is destroying job growth, job security, and the business environment in the state. The widely respected leader of the House Republican Caucus in the State Legislature Dan Kristiansen had this to say yesterday, “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!” In a conversation with one of the Republican Leaders in the house I heard that there has been an anti-Boeing sentiment among Democrats in the state Legislature for some time. Republican Representative Mike Hope and others believe Governor Gregoire’s three widely publicized visits to the picket lines during last year’s Machinists strike angered Boeing management and was one final nail in the “decision coffin” I was told yesterday.

I understand that Patty Murray Washington State’s widely disrespected US Senator reportedly was so outraged when she heard the news that she exploded in profanity. When Boeing Commercial Airplane Division President and Chief Executive Officer called Governor Gregoire to announce the news, Christine ‘threw a fit’ according to a staffer I talked to yesterday. On top of that Jay Inslee, the sometimes Congressman for the 1^st Congressional District, was so matter of fact about it that some reporters he talked to were shocked! He is quoted in the Washington Post owned Everett Herald.

And for those of you being lied to about the pending tanker contract, if Boeing were to get it, I have confirmed reports that production for that potential contract will go to Long Beach, California. You are reading this correctly! Let me repeat, IF BOEING were to get the tanker contract, most of the work on that deal would be done in McD’s old production facility in Long Beach, California. The State of California and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are reportedly willing to ‘give away the store’ to get these jobs. There is no shortage of trained aerospace workers in Southern California.

Who’s to blame? I will leave that analysis to our new Snohomish County Blogger Elizabeth Scott whose analysis will appear here on Red County soon!