South CarolinaPing
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Posted on 10/23/2009 10:36:55 AM PDT by jazusamo
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Behind closed doors, business and local government leaders in South Carolina are working to deliver an electrifying jolt to the economy of this genteel city — at the expense of Washington state.
Already the site of side-by-side factories that produce two thirds of the fuselage for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, Charleston is in a tight race with Everett to be the location of a second final-assembly line for the new jet.
"It's a huge deal," said Pat Barber, a well-connected Charleston businessman who owns a trucking company that specializes in oversize loads and could win a lot of Boeing work if his city prevails.
"It'll be the biggest thing to happen in South Carolina in the last 25 to 30 years. ... Once people see Boeing can build an airplane successfully here, it's a matter of time before other companies and industries catch on."
Boeing is making a momentous choice for both regions. And Charleston has more going for it than is generally recognized in Washington.
Jim Albaugh, the new head of Boeing's commercial-airplane division, is expected to present the two options to the Boeing board of directors next week. CEO Jim McNerney said Wednesday the choice will be announced within two weeks.
Boeing is pressuring the Machinists union to make an immense concession — a 10-year agreement not to strike — that could secure the prize for Everett.
Meanwhile, it has filed for permits to clear land by the North Charleston airport for a potential new factory, has drawn up building plans, and is preparing for a potential announcement in South Carolina.
This old city's climate and the warmth of its laid-back Southern culture draw tourists to its historic downtown and to nearby beaches. The more elite neighborhoods are graced with million-dollar homes, avenues of palm trees...
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Boeing, union deadlocked in secret talks over new 787 line
WA Ping!
Good. Hopefully it will stay a non-union plant. Someone I know was in Seattle and said it was filled with women in burkahs.
I hope Wash looses it, serves then right!!
Will Obama intervene to save the Union? I wouldn’t put it past him.
This would be yet another major blow to the West Coast liberal establishment.
While I would feel badly for the workers involved, no way the majority of Boeing employees are card carrying liberals, that’s no longer my primary concern. My concern now is illustrating time and time again how liberal governments destroy state and regional economies.
Many of the Boeing employees would be relocated, at least the skilled ones, as there is no way you can just plop down into a city and hire a work force from scratch to build a modern airliner. I know some will say, “Oh but they did it in WWII with the B-17 and B-29 lines.” but you were dealing with mass manufacturing of mechanically controlled planes. It was not the same as a modern electronically controlled plane.
Go go South Carolina!
Boeing has a deep fear of their business being disrupted by the union. So what do the union people do to calm this fear, threaten worse disruptions. LOL. They just don't get it.
If Charleston wins, Boeing will establish a complete airplane-manufacturing complex on the East Coast. Future Boeing airplanes could be built there instead of in the Puget Sound region.
This is the reason Charleston will get the plant. The unions, politicians, and people of Washington could no longer dictate what Boeing does, but instead would have to compete for any future plants.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Obama tries it but after the precedent set in Detroit he might not be all that successful.
Those were my exact thoughts when reading it. Union thugs just don't get it, with the backing of Obama they think there'll be an upsurge in industrial unions, I believe just the opposite will happen. Large industry is tired of union threats and intimidation.
Shenzhen.
I wouldn’t argue the point, you could be right but I sure hope that doesn’t happen.
Boeing has a deep fear of their business being disrupted by the union.
Adding to your comments, the Gov made absolutely no concessions to Boeing for the 2nd 787 line. The state has no money and she did not make this issue a priority. They handed Boeing a PowerPoint presentation and asked them to stay.
There is a disaster brewing here in WA State, and we better wake up soon. The business climate here is very unfriendly and many locals do not seem to care. We have a state budget situation that is worse than Cali and all they can talk about is raising taxes.
Puget Sound has so much to offer, it would take only a small amount of leadership from the labor, business and especially political community to turn this around. I just do not think we can pull it off.
schu
Sounds good,...
If they are at all astute Boeing will locate in South Carolina.
Johnny Suntrade
May the best manufacturing plant win the bid.
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner
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