Cool maybe we can have a beer one day and talk about Hali Fishing..etc.
I met Drew one day on the river but didnt know it was him until later on.

Tough times? Tell the guy that is looking for work that.

Jermz - you seem like a reasonable dude, but I am calling BS on the "tough" times for Boeing workers. Boeing union workers have lived high on the hog for decades. You get what you ask for in life and you get what you elect with your Union reps. Votes have consequences. I worked GM in Detroit for years and I know this. What the Machinists do is NOT special. This Union is NOT a unique and special snowflake. It does not take any special talent, education or commitment to work that job, yet many make 6 figure plus. It's glorified riveting and you want even more? Alabama and South Carolina love you for that.

For all of the Union workers out there, I have only ever asked one thing. Please go work a corporate, non-union job and report back to me with your findings and I 100% guarantee that you'll sign that contract right quick. This is me being and playing "nice" on the Darkside. I'll refrain from sharing my real feelings with spoiled Americans. I've found that the Chinese are MUCH more receptive to this conversation. Huh!

We lost. I'm done with this thread

Sorry you lost and nothing personal to you or Drew - but a little bit of something is much better than a whole lot of nothing.

Just out.



51% percent of Machinists vote to accept Boeing proposal


SEATTLE – Machinists Union members have voted to accept the Boeing Co.’s proposed eight-year contract with a 51 percent yes vote.

“Our members have spoken and this is the course we’ll take,” said Tom Wroblewski, the president of Machinists Union District Lodge 751, which represents more than 30,000 hourly workers at Boeing plants in Puget Sound.

The decision means Boeing will stop seeking alternate sites for its 777X aircraft program, the latest version of its best-selling widebody jet, and start preparations to start final assembly and wing fabrication in Puget Sound.
The union’s goal in coming years will be to fight to ensure Boeing lives up to its commitment to its workforce and keeps jobs in Washington state, Wroblewski said.

The vote to accept the contract came even though Wroblewski and the District 751 leadership team had unanimously recommended that union members reject Boeing’s offer, which included steep concessions on retirement and health care benefits and limits on future wage growth.

“All along we knew that our members wanted to build the 777X, and that it was in Boeing’s best interest to have them do it,” he said. “We recommended that our members reject the offer because we felt that the cost was too high, in terms of our lost pensions and the thousands of dollars in additional health care costs we’ll have to pay each year.

“Now, it’s up to all of us now to pull together to make this airplane program successful. I’m confident we will do that, because as we’ve said all along, this is the most-skilled aerospace workforce in the world.”

“We recommended that our members reject the offer because we felt that the cost was too high, in terms of our lost pensions and the thousands of dollars in additional health care costs we’ll have to pay each year."

The above is exactly what's wrong with Unions. I'll say it again...a little bit of something is much better than a whole lot of nothing. The "cost" would be much higher without a airplane to build you idiot.

Glad to hear that the workers have more sense than the leadership. Congrats. My home value would like to thank Mr. Common Sense for his wise decision.

51% are saying we won.

I'm real sure that such is NOT the case, Jerry. But Unemployment benefits are a far cry from a working wage......the fear of not being able to cover monthly payments can easily steer victory to the Corporate side in an employer's market.

A boatload of Boeing subs are breathing a sigh of relief today.

All of this and Drew still isn't coming back? That's a joke.

If my math serves me correctly Washington is giving them $300,000 per employee tax break? Where is Jesse when you need him?

I have a buddy that is a "safety advisor." He watches guys work and "advises" them if he think something could be dangerous or if a worker doesn't use his proper equipment.

I asked "do they forget their equipment?"


(Him) "No"


(Me) "Do you actually mother them?"


(H) "No, not really... It makes them mad"


(M) "What DO you do?"


(H) "Nothing really. They only work on the plane for a couple hours, then roll it out and bring in another. So, realistically I only work for two hours out of an eight hour day."


(M) "What do you do the rest of the time?"


(H) "Drink coffee... BS... Nothing really"


(M) "You feel good about this?"


(H) "What do I care as long as I am getting paid"


Huh. He went on to talk about overtime, holiday pay and benefits and how great it is working there in general.


I just shake my head and wonder why these guys would be complaining.

Might be bad for the Machinist's union, but it's good for the machinists to have a job, or not having to move to S. Carolina or other state in order to have a job (at less pay plus moving expenses). It's a better day for Boeing since they win the deal. Global corporate greed wins out, since Boeing is making record profits or thereabouts according to what I read. So it's not like Boeing can't afford the contract the union wanted. It's just that in this employment market, Boeing could get a better deal in roughly 22 other states than WA. Since Boeing could get a better deal, they weren't going to play in WA unless they got that better deal. So it's a good deal for continued employment in the PS area and a bad deal for traffic in the PS area. I'd even say that it's a good deal for the 1%ers who are likely to see Boeing profits increase further, except that a lot of rank and file Boeing workers own Boeing stock too.

A King co crew replaced 20 feet of guard rail hit in the snow a few weeks ago. 9 guys + 2 flaggers, 8 king co trucks. I drove by at 9 when they were just arriving . Came home at 12 they were on lunch break and went for a run at 3:30 and they were packing up. It took 11 people all day to replace 6 posts and bolt up 20 ft of rail using a track hoe. 2 man job in the private sector.

Any number of factors could cause Boeing to become less profitable. Profitability isn't guaranteed.

The relationship between company and employees has been pretty dysfunctional over the years. I could see the company getting sick of it and wanting some longer term stability.

I wasn't for or against the union workers. They should get whatever the market allows. I did get sick of the union spokesperson continually saying they didn't want to give up everything they've gained over the past 78 years. Really?

I got into the Everett and Renton facilities a couple times a week and have a hard time comprehending how any of those people can bitch about their pay. I'd feel guilty depositing my paycheck knowing how little work I did for it. A bit like my brother who works for BN. Work 4 and get paid for 8. And then bitch about the company making huge profits.

Boeing can start paying it's taxes anytime, I don't see any need to allow continued tax breaks.

Boeing should pay it's fair share like everyone else does, all I'm saying.

So are you saying that Boeing is the only business in Washington that gets tax breaks?

No, all it's brothers and sisters can join too.