On Nov. 13, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer from Boeing that would have kept manufacturing of the company’s new 777X jet in Washington state. The IAM voted down the proposed eight-year contract extension because it would have cut benefits.
Days earlier, the Washington Legislature hastily approved an incentive package—including $8.7 billion in new tax breaks over 16 years—that Boeing had wanted to keep the work in state. Now, that’s in limbo, and some 15 states—including Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas—are falling over themselves to provide tax breaks, free land and other incentives to the aerospace giant. Even my home state of Illinois claims it’s getting into the act. (Please, stop snickering.)