The Jobs Are Right Here

On April 27, the Boeing Company rolled out its first 787 Dreamliner from its North Charleston plant with “Made with Pride in South Carolina” written on its side. It’s the first commercial jet built on the East Coast by a nonunion workforce. South Carolina is a right-to-work state.

Being a right-to-work state means you can’t be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. Boeing management felt this to be worth something—enough to build a South Carolina plant that is basically on the opposite side of the country from the one in Everett, Washington, where Dreamliners are also made.

This is a huge move for Boeing. It wouldn’t have been done had Washington been a right-to-work state. But states are becoming more and more competitive with each other. Boeing seized the opportunity to build jets in a more competitive locale.

Now if you were a union worker in Everett, wouldn’t you demand that union leadership do something about this? The problem, it would appear, is that union leadership has no incentive to make Boeing more competitive in Everett. They are working to keep the union strong—working for the status quo.

But when management moved to build the plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, a direct competitor to the union shop in Everett was created. Competition is the last thing union leadership wants. That’s why they fought this move tooth and nail through the National Labor Relations Board, finally coming to a settlement with management.

It would appear North Charleston is open for business. If you were a union member in Everett, wouldn’t it cross your mind to look into getting work at the South Carolina plant? The weather’s nice, and you could probably get a good job since you know how to build planes. I’d guess this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may not be available in Everett for long.