Deep divide still obvious to Boeing workers as demolition of Everett plant begins
Aug 14, 2014, 7:18 AM | Updated: 12:53 pm
Demolition has already started in a parking lot at Boeing that will soon be a new facility for production of the 777X composite wings. (KIRO Radio/Chris Sullivan)
(KIRO Radio/Chris Sullivan)
It was all smiles in Everett Wednesday as Boeing officially kicked off the demolition project that will make way for the new 777X composite wing facility.
“I love sledgehammers and I love airplanes and to get to use one to build the other, it’s a great day,” Governor Jay Inslee said Wednesday morning. He took one of the first whacks at an old brick building that needs to come down to make room for the new complex.
But the golden sledgehammers can’t hide the anger between Boeing and its union Machinists, still just below the surface after the bitter contract fight eight months ago.
The wound is healing, but it is still raw for many. Morale continues to be an issue in some places on the factory floors.
Union Machinists are still upset about the way, they say, a gun was put to their heads with the contract vote. They say Boeing gave them this choice: Give up your traditional pension plan or lose the 777X and the thousands of jobs that come with it.
John Gallardo, a second-generation Boeing Machinist, says, “I think we’re still a little upset about it, but I think that’s something we’re going to have to put in the past. You know the importance of having work here. We all know that. We feel that. We’ll get over that in time.”
“With that seniority does come some wishing for maybe a better contract,” said Craig Morgan, who has been with Boeing for 26 years. “When you weigh it all out, I’m tired of looking back at what happened.”
Boeing commercial airplanes CEO Ray Conner, before he donned his safety glasses, hard hat and picked up his golden sledgehammer, acknowledged that it was a tough call for everyone.
“A lot of people made a lot of tough decisions in order to get us to this point today,” Conner said. “As I said once before, these are not 20-year decisions. These are not 30-year decisions. These are 50-year decisions that we made, and so we are going to be here for a long, long time. I think that’s a tremendous opportunity for all of us as we move to the future.”
When Conner said the company is committed to the Puget Sound, employees like Morgan sighed and nodded with an understanding that job security and future jobs were worth the sacrifices.
“When it comes between the union and the company, I think everybody realizes that we need to build the airplane here,” Morgan said. “I have an 11-year-old son (and) I would love for him to be able to work at the Boeing company.”
Along with Senator Maria Cantwell and president of Machinists 751 Local, Conner swung a sledgehammer into a brick wall.
“I’ve thrown a lot of sledgehammers in my day, but that was more special than any that I’ve thrown because of what it means for all of us – what it means for the state, what it means for this region, what it means for all our people, for everybody that’s involved.”
Production on the 777X wings is expected to begin in 2017.
