What's Up With Those Rascally Machinist At Boeing?

Well labor has made a point behind closed doors and its not the closed doors in Everett, Wa. It is those doors in Charleston, SC. The non union workforce is toiling mightily with 787 production. Whether it's a problem of floor leadership, lack of experience or an under utilized work resource, the IAM in Everett is thanking Charleston at this time for developing a respect from Boeing, for those rascally IAM machinist.  I once was being  trained as a machinist in the Seattle area in a Walter Mitty type fashion at the Evergreen CC. My goal was to become a Boeing Machinist. I enjoyed the training and the work. The education was directly tied to making parts and solving problems in the metals arena. Even with the plastic plane you need great machinist.

My life's calling took me to another stage into an Management type of venue, for medical care then onto Governmental auditing and management.  Both somehow made a relationship with building stuff and solving problems. So I quit Evergreen CC and got my degree in accounting and finance at a great University.

Boeing sees harmony, Machinists disagree in aftermath of contract vote 

Back to machinist, making great stuff, is the best thing a person can do for anyone, so machinist, I solute you! Now, because of Charleston, SC experience, the IAM union has made points with Boeing. McNerney has approach the NW with a reconsideration towards the IAM folks. Smart business for both, the IAM and Boeing. Don't lose your best company IAM, Boeing don't lose your best doers, the IAM.

They desperately need each other to build the 777X. This is not real estate clambering for location, location and more location. Its war with the competitors. Boeing needs its best for the best, No more Ideas of cost trimming on the backs of an untrained or trained workforce. Boeing can't gamble with boardroom snarkiness.

Opinion, is what I do, because that is what you get from a lifetime of running from actual volcanoes exploding, revolutionaries, and political intrigue. Mexico is another story as well as my Mount Saint Helens camp out on May, 18 1980, And so goes the more flaws doings things with the federal government, during my time with the US Department of the Interior. Mexico was safer than Interior, I knew who the bad guys were even though shots are fired often in Mexico. I have seen a fair piece of the "behind shut doors stuff".  The IAM is in a good position to deliver its promise. Boeing is in a good place to keep its hand clasped with that partnership. I am really glad the IAM did not jump off the "Cliff" and I am glad Boeing is smart enough to put pride aside and build airplanes in Everett again with the 777X project. Having said all these remarks, places making future Boeing observations into context. Boeing pretends to work for the stock holders and pretends to accommodate labor. They, in the middle, must satisfy both masters at the same time while building aircraft. Of course the third pillar will always be Government, a place where I once experienced it with great trepidation. Being a Boeing exec is like being an NFL superstar, your only get paid when you play. If your knees don't buckle and need surgery you play on.

The machinist in Everett are discovering its true value in the market place. Its value is better realized as Airbus builds and sells more airplanes.