Boeing Expansion Is Good News for Puget Sound
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October 2010 751 AERO MECHANIC Page VOL. 65 NO. 9 OCTOBER 2010 Boeing Expansion Is Good News for Puget Sound In September, District 751 welcomed years of moving work from Puget Sound L to R: Business news that Boeing will be bringing work to outside suppliers. It obviously dispels Rep Emerson back and expanding its capabilities in the myth that Washington is not a ‘busi- Hamilton, Puget Sound. The announcement is a ness friendly’ state,” said District 751 District testament to the skills and abilities of our President Tom Wroblewski. “We are President Tom members and SPEEA members here in optimistic this could signal a change in Wroblewski Washington State. attitude and mean that Chicago finally and Jonathan Doddo discuss “We are glad to see Boeing re-invest- recognizes the tremendous resources they investments ing in Puget Sound – especially after have in their workforce here. Boeing and new work should harness these tal- in the 9.101 ents every chance they get building. – it is why they have been successful through the significant investment in this region by years.” the aerospace giant. While Boeing has yet A large amount of the floor space in to release specific details the 9.101 building has been dedicated to on the work, it has con- the F-22 program, which will be winding firmed it will be expand- down at the end of this year. The plan is ing its manufacturing re- to transform much of that space into an search center in Seattle Advanced Developmental Composites and expanding compos- facility that will most likely initially fo- ites work at the Auburn cus on work for the 787-9 (a new deriva- fabrication plant. Both ex- tive of the Dreamliner). pansions are to help Reggie Newman works on a part in L to R: Steward Mark Brown, Business Rep Mark Members in the 9.101 building were the 17-45 building. Auburn will be Boeing increase its inter- Johnson and District President Tom Wroblewski pleased to hear the Company was mak- expanding to take on more composite discuss that communication will be key to success- nal manufacturing capa- ing capital investments and plans for work in the future. fully taking on more composite work in Auburn. bilities and represent a Continued on page 6 Rising to Record Rates in Renton The Boeing Co.’s plan to increase production of Tom Wrob- 737s beyond its all-time record rate represents a real lewski said. challenge – but one that Machinists can achieve, Dis- “The fact trict 751 members working at Renton said. that Boeing is “It’s going to involve a lot of teamwork and a lot of able to build jets cooperation from a lot of different people to make it at this all-time work,” said Karla Kinsella, a waterstrider who works record rate is a on the 737 line. testament to the Boeing announced on Sept. 15 that it plans to start skills and expe- Senator Patty Murray energized a crowded Seattle producing 38 737s a month, starting in the second quarter rience of the Hall asking members to help get her re-elected so she of 2013. The announcement comes on the heels of a workforce here can continue fighting for working families. previously announced plan to bump production to 35 a in Puget month in 2012, up from the current rate of 31.5 a month. Sound,” he said. “Increasing production is in response to customer Phuong Nguyen is one of the “They are an Re-Electing Murray is demand for this plane,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes members who will help increase asset Boeing chief Jim Albaugh said. 737 production to 38 planes per can’t replicate Top Priority in Election Boeing already has a 2,000-jet backlog for 737s, and month. anywhere else.” expects new orders as a result of ongoing sales cam- To increase Leaders of the International Association of Machin- paigns and because current customers are expected to the rate, Boeing spokespeople said the company will ists and Aerospace Workers praised incumbent U.S. exercise op- hire a few hundred more workers and invest in new Sen. Patty Murray for her work on behalf of Washington’s tions to add tooling for Renton. working families, and called on union members to more planes That part was good news for Machinists on the support her re-election campaign. to orders al- Renton shop floor, who over the past decade have seen “Our candidates bring one word to the campaign — ready on the a steady stream of announcements of plans to move jobs,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. books. Boeing manufacturing outside the company’s Puget “We’ve got to keep senators in Washington, D.C., who The deci- Sound core – moves that have all too often backfired on understand what that four-letter word means.” sion proves the company’s Chicago leadership. “She has fought for us on every issue we’ve asked of how vital “That’s what I like to see – keeping it here, in house her,” added IAM General Vice President Gary Allen. Boeing’s ex- and in the Puget Sound area,” said Wade Balmer, a Murray spoke to nearly 400 members of the Machin- perienced Renton inspector. “We want to see all our family and ists and Painters unions who gathered at IAM District Puget Sound friends keep working.” 751’s Seattle Union Hall on Sept. 7, along with repre- workers are But the ramp-up is a real challenge that will only sentatives from other labor organizations. to the com- succeed “if we have enough people to support it and if She drew praise from District 751 President Tom pany, Dis- we have enough parts coming in,” said Balmer, who Wroblewski. Unlike Rossi, he said, ”Nobody has to Member Isaiah Ferguson, a wing wonder which Washington Patty Murray works for.” assembler in Renton, sees the 737 trict 751 said he remembers the disastrous production ramp-up Murray attacked Rossi’s positions that favor Wall rate increase as a positive step. President Continued on page 6 Continued on page 4 Supporting Science Claims Inside Index From saving energy to Denied? President's Message ......2 saving lives, members at Political Action............... 3 Hanford are on the in the General Election Get the facts Retirement...................... 9 cutting edge of research TUESDAY on I-1082 – Want Ads ........................10 12 NOVEMBER 2nd good for the insurance industry Eastern Washington .... 12 See Voting Recommendations, page 3 and bad for you! 3 Page 2 751 AERO MECHANIC October 2010 REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT IAM Members Ready to Help Boeing Ramp Up and Expand by Tom Wroblewski, ees. You’ll never hear them say it cal Lodge, who are union members like cate for Washington’s aerospace indus- District President out loud, but I will: Boeing couldn’t you. They met repeatedly, starting this try than Patty Murray. As this union’s ramp up to 38 737s a month in summer, to study the issues and interview International President, Tom Last month, as we were Renton if it didn’t have you. And if the candidates. They made their judgments Buffenbarger, said at a rally in our Se- celebrating this union’s 75- it wasn’t for the steady revenues based on one idea above all: Does this attle Hall last month, “if it wasn’t for her, year history, the Boeing Co. generated by our 737 and 777 candidate, or this ballot measure, advance brothers and sisters, the Europeans would made two big announce- teams, Boeing wouldn’t have the the cause of working people in our state? be building our tankers now.” ments that will affect Dis- cash to pay for Chicago’s 787 blun- After the Legislative Committee makes Senator Murray has supported legis- trict 751 members well into ders. They really ought to thank its recommendations, it reports to the Dis- lation that helps working people, she has the future: the plan to expand its manufac- you. trict Council, which is also made up of fought for and won funding to help train turing and R&D capacities in Puget Sound Finally, it’s clear to me that Boeing shop floor union members. They discuss the next generation of aerospace work- and its decision to increase the 737 produc- can only be successful in the future if it the committee recommendations, and then ers in this state, and she has led the fight tion rates in Renton. utilizes all of its assets to the fullest. That vote on the proposed endorsements. against European subsidies to EADS. We’re still working on getting the means an end to the attacks on the In some cases, the District Council She is a clear and articulate voice on our details on both plans from the company workforce. We must all work together to votes to make contributions to the candi- behalf in Congress, and she stands in to better understand what impact these meet the challenges ahead of us, but we dates or causes we’ve decided to sup- sharp contrast with her opponent, Dino moves will mean for each one of our will never be one Boeing so long as the port. That isn’t dues money. All the Rossi, who can’t seem to decide how he members. leadership group in Chicago hangs on to money we give to campaigns comes from feels about the Airbus subsidies. But he I’m quietly optimistic. It’s great to its “us-against-them” gang mentality. It’s the Machinists Non-Partisan League, is crystal clear when it comes to support- see Boeing growing its Puget Sound time for that attitude to go.