Obama administration sues Boeing over S.C. Plant

**highsea** · 24 Apr 11,, 17:40

So last year, Obama made a recess appointment of this guy Craig Becker to head up the National Labor Relations Board. Becker is a former associate general counsel for the AFL-CIO and SEIU. Obama had to make a recess appointment because the Senate would not confirm this pick.

So now Becker has apparently filed suit against Boeing for building the second 787 plant in South Carolina.

S.C. is a right to work state, and state law says workers have a right to vote on union representation.

In September 2009, the workers in the S.C. plant voted 200-68 to decertify the IAM.

Boeing had entered into negotiations with the IAM over building this plant in Seattle, but the IAM refused to accept a no-strike clause. The Gresham plant builds 787 sub-assemblies, and shut down a couple years ago for an extended strike. The Seattle plants have also been plagued with strikes which have cost Boeing billions.

So Boeing said fine. We'll build it in South Carolina.

The plant is built now, and suddenly Boeing is being sued by this union thug that Obama appointed. Becker is claiming that the decision to locate the plant in S.C. is retaliation agains the union, and is trying to force Boeing to locate all future plants in Seattle.

WTF? The US Government is telling a US company where they can locate their manufacturing facilities within the US.

Maybe Boeing should have put it in China? Would that make the Obama administration happy?

National Labor Relations Board says Boeing can't build plant in South Carolina

**Roosveltrepub** · 24 Apr 11,, 18:02

The Warped US Tax System: Taxpayers Subsidize Their Own Destruction | The Nation

Equally partisan description of the conflict

what I do find particularly disturbing is Boeing took the goodies from WA to build the plant there then moved to SC. I hope WA goes after the tax incentives they gave.

**highsea** · 24 Apr 11,, 18:25

Originally Posted by Roosveltrepub

...I hope WA goes after the tax incentives they gave.

Boeing never took them. There's nothing for the State to take back.

What "goodies" are you referring to? Tooling? Machinery? That stuff belongs to Boeing.

**bigross86** · 25 Apr 11,, 00:37

Originally Posted by Roosveltrepub

The Warped US Tax System: Taxpayers Subsidize Their Own Destruction | The Nation

Equally partisan description of the conflict

Dude, I fail to see how that was equally partisan. That was so anti-Boeing I don't understand how you can even claim it was equally partisan

Originally Posted by Roosveltrepub

what I do find particularly disturbing is Boeing took the goodies from WA to build the plant there then moved to SC. I hope WA goes after the tax incentives they gave.

And how is Boeing turning down a $3.2 billion package in exchange for a $900 million package a bad thing?

**troung** · 25 Apr 11,, 00:55

The company has always defended these kinds of practices by claiming it’s a great jobs generator. Of course, one need only glance at South Carolina’s jobless statistics, which are well above the national average, to see that claim stands on shaky legs. In a state that provides some of the least generous jobless benefits in the union, it’s difficult to see just how shelling out massive subsidies to an anti-union company like Boeing provides for a majority of South Carolinians.

Helps them get jobs.

**bonehead** · 25 Apr 11,, 03:31

The whole deal stinks. Boeing has been fighting unions for decades when they should have been going after a less antagonizing approach. The union could have done better as well. I worked in the Everette plant for a short while and saw first hand the dedication the employees poured into the planes (747's, and I was there for the 787 roll out) and I also saw management crap all over them like they were cockroaches that should have been exterminated. Anyone there that wore a suit and tie thought they were Gods and everyone else should bow before them. Lots of animosity there which is a shame because a better partnership would improve things all around. I only hope they build the planes in SC as well as they do in Wa. The irony is that the 787 delays are because of the many sub assembly areas all over the world. Whenever there is a delay anywhere in the world the final assembly point suffers delays. They just spread the assembly line out even further. At least they kept the other plant in the states.

**Julie** · 25 Apr 11,, 05:09

Maybe this is why big corporations relocate to other countries....to get away from the damn unions!

**bigross86** · 25 Apr 11,, 09:15

Nah....

**Roosveltrepub** · 25 Apr 11,, 10:04

Originally Posted by Julie

Maybe this is why big corporations relocate to other countries....to get away from the damn unions!

generally countries that are not free have no unions. A right to organize is pretty basic.

**Roosveltrepub** · 25 Apr 11,, 10:35

If they moved to avoid the union it seems sketchy to me but I am no lawyer. imagine this will play out based on statements made by Boeing to both workforces. It seems weak after reading up on it and at the same time sad that states are busy out screwing each other offering tax incentives. The taxpayers all foot the bill in the end. It would be one thing if it was to attract a non US company but competition between states just increases our tax burden because we have to make up the difference.

**Julie** · 25 Apr 11,, 16:37

Originally Posted by Roosveltrepub

generally countries that are not free have no unions. A right to organize is pretty basic.

We have one huge paper plant mill here in my small town, and was THE place to work for years until the Union came in.

Before then, there was excellent pay, great benefits, and ALL the overtime you wanted to make was yours for the taking. After the Union came in you could only work 40 hours, no more double-time pay on holidays, and had to pay for additional dependents on insurance, which before was free.

Lots of people retired from there when that happened...and it's no longer known as THE place to get a job. The owners sold the place, and it seems the plan now has at least 2 strikes a year and the plant is shut down alot.

**gunnut** · 25 Apr 11,, 18:36

Unions should be assaulted, destroyed, and relegated to the dustbin of history.

**astralis** · 25 Apr 11,, 19:51

unions need to be reformed rather than "assaulted, destroyed, and relegated to the dustbin of history." i agree with RR that only unfree countries have no unions.

**gunnut** · 25 Apr 11,, 20:12

Originally Posted by astralis

unions need to be reformed rather than "assaulted, destroyed, and relegated to the dustbin of history." i agree with RR that only unfree countries have no unions.

And unions are threatening to destroy the "free" countries.

I only wish unions on our opponents. We had unions in Poland in the 1980s. There are movements to form unions in China. Good job guys.

How would you reform unions? They control all levels of our government and are pushing California to the brink of disaster.

**Roosveltrepub** · 25 Apr 11,, 21:20

Originally Posted by Julie

We have one huge paper plant mill here in my small town, and was THE place to work for years until the Union came in.

Before then, there was excellent pay, great benefits, and ALL the overtime you wanted to make was yours for the taking. After the Union came in you could only work 40 hours, no more double-time pay on holidays, and had to pay for additional dependents on insurance, which before was free.

Lots of people retired from there when that happened...and it's no longer known as THE place to get a job. The owners sold the place, and it seems the plan now has at least 2 strikes a year and the plant is shut down alot.

wow so the union bargained for less wages and less benefits and the employees voted for that contract?