Friday, October 24, 2008

Boeing - Machinist Strike

My message to Boeing is to "hold tight". Do not give in. These machinists on strike make an average of $60,000 a year not including health benefits, lifetime pensions, and they work only as fast as the slowest worker. Why work any harder and faster? Depending on seniority and assignments, everybody makes the same.

Most Boeing workers have two incomes. I know, my wife's cousin worked all his adult life for Boeing. Boeing offered all types of recreation for their employees and guests. I played indoor tennis in a free Boeing Recreation Center.

The unions and bad management killed Detroit. Don't let the unions drive more Boeing operations overseas.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Spoken like a true Boeing upper-management person. I could not help but notice that he said nothing about out-sourcing jobs; especially out of the good old USA. Could this be part of the current financial situation we find ourselves in ? ?
Also: what about TAKING benefits from workers ? ? The current offer gives a little bit, and takes a lot. It sounds like the company is simply trying to break the union. The strike is Spending more than settling the union demands would cost, just to make a point. Actually; WHAT IS THE POINT ? ?

Anonymous said...

where on earth did you come up with 60 thousand a year? when are you people going to start practising accuracy? or is the reality just a little too bland to hold readers?

Anonymous said...

What an idiot. We are a single family income Boeing family. My husband has been a part of the company for 12 years. Last year we were still approved for reduced lunch. Maybe if we get a nice bonus, I can take all the kids to the dentist. Seriously check your facts!!

Merle Widmer said...

Yes, I am a management person who successfully worked with the Teamster Union for 22 years.

Source of the $65,000 for MACHINISTS, janitors and cafeteria employee provably make less, is the WSJ 10/22 or 23. "Boeing Striker Dig in Heels Even as Economy Turns Sour" by analyst J. Lynn Lunsford. Background on Google. He wrote "The machinists who earned an AVERAGE of $65,000 a year.....".

Outsourcing? I'll do a blog on outsourcing soon but in the meantime I quote Thomas Friedman athour of "The World is Flat" "Any job that involves standardized skill can be exported." I suggest you read the book.

Why outsource? To stay competitive.

I don't need to prove it because its already been proved. Union members or the general public buy where they can get a better price. That's why Walmart is the one of the few compannies on the NTSE that is up in stock value for the year.

Look at Boeing stock, way down. Why, maybe bad management, maybe powerful unions with workers who we used to tell "don't let the door hit you in the ass when the closing whistle sounds".

Or as Forbes Magazine said in an article dated 4/9/07 "How many autoworkers does it take to change a drill bit ?".

What's my point, I just made it and if you feel I haven't, read todays WSJ "How Detroit Drove Itself Into a Ditch".

Boeing is try not to go there.

And if Boeing doesn't pay enough get anotherjob. It's a free country.