In Washington State a big collective "uh oh" has just been heard throughout the political and business circles as Boeing purchased a new plant in South Carolina.
Gov. Gregoire is trying to paint a smiley face on the whole thing, but the potential for Boeing to move out of state is very very real.
Apparently Boeing officials have had some very candid talks with leading Democrats concerning the thuggish tactics of the Machinist Union. The Union Thugs just don't seem to understand that as the company is attempting to navigate contracts in the hundreds of millions of dollars they cannot, any longer, keep looking over their shoulders wondering if the employees are going to strike.
Dicks also said that at a March meeting with Boeing CEO Jim McNerney, arranged by Gregoire and held in the Washington, D.C., office of Sen. Patty Murray, “McNerney was very candid.”
“The message was that we need to get a resolution of this (strike) problem. We can’t live with this.”
Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, said McNerney made clear that “the relationship with the labor community,” particularly the question of strikes, “was a major component of the decision.”
The International Association of Machinists (IAM) has struck the company four times in seven sets of contract talks over the past 20 years, most recently for two months last fall. Its contract expires in 2012.
However in the Seattle Times' story what is most stunning is the absolute ignorance of the Democrat politicians and the Union Thug representatives as to how business in the real world works. They seem perfectly willing (willful ignorance?) to lead a pack of lemmings off of the cliff and kill them all.
“This is such a huge ask of the Machinists,” Gregoire said. “The idea of labor giving up the right to strike is a huge issue for them. There has to be something on the other side equally compelling. The magnitude of this is really challenging.”
Huh? There "has to be" something on the "other side" (management) that is equally compelling? Really? Well how bout "OK then we will move. Is that compelling enough fer ya?" Or perhaps a better way to put is "pound sand."
Dicks (Democrat Congressman) said any overarching no-strike agreement would have to involve some kind of binding independent arbitration of disputes between management and union.
But IAM district President Tom Wroblewski balked at the idea of setting aside the union’s strike weapon.
“Take away our only power?” Wroblewski asked rhetorically. “I can’t see ever taking our power away.”
Well how bout the company simply shut down your plant and you get to have all the remaining "power" you want? See how that whole General Motors thing is working out for you and your "workers."
“If we were to have these discussions, the company would have to come through with something, … guaranteed employment of some sort,” he said. “The trade-offs would be huge.”
Dicks agreed.
“This is a two-way street,” said Dicks. “I’ve urged the Boeing leadership that there’s got to be give on their side.”
Again more complete ignorance coming from Democrat Congressman Norm Dicks. What dah heck does Boeing "got" to do? Are you going to MAKE them stay in Washington? Are you going to MAKE Boeing employ a certain number of people with mandated pay and benefits? Even if the company looses money? Really Congressman Dicks? Really Union Thugs?
You people, living in your make believe world, may see this as a "two-way" street, but Boeing the company, sees the real world aerospace market and what they must do to compete.
Perhaps Boeing has been watching the idiots at General Motors who caved to the Union Thugs only to see their company dive to bankruptcy and eventually be taken over by the Federal Government.
Perhaps Democrat Norm Dicks would better serve the workers of Washington State, and the entire nation, by asking the Obama administration and Congress to revisit the National Labor Relations Act?
Hmmm... Now there is a novel idea. Instead of threatening to drive Washington companies out of Washington (see Oregon as a prime example) and American companies out of America, why not actually listen to the folks who are running these businesses and employing Americans and find out how to make America/Washington more.... wait for it... wait... COMPETITIVE!
I am not going to hold my breath however. The fact that high ranking Democrat politicians are this woefully ignorant as to how the real world works is instructional as to how completely dysfunctional these people are.
In the meant time the Union Thugs, and their puppets in the Democrat party, can kick and scream and hold their breath until all their jobs are gone. Then they can pat themselves on their collective backs at just how "successful" they were.
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