I'm sure it did....... AND the prospect of no union mess, which amounts to a benefit on both ends of the Boeing income statement.
There's only so much blood in a turnip. Sooner or later the turnip gets ticked off at unreasonable, irresponsible, greedy folks and finds another dinner plate to rest on.
Frank
If you want to talk about unreasonable, irresponsible and greedà
SC is facing almost a billion in budget shortfalls, is looking at closing prisons, doesn't have the greatest school system and is ranked in the top 10 of states with major budget issues. SCÆs budget shortfall is 20%.
Boeing isnÆt going to save them, because Boeing is getting huge tax breaks for the next 30 years. In fact, what little taxes Boeing will pay, will likely be rebated as part of the deals that last for the next 15 years.
Boeing will gladly take almost a billion dollars in direct payouts and tax breaks from SC citizens and tax payers, despite the fact, that they are a multi-billion dollar, multi-national company, and does not actually need it. That's equivilent to 25% of SC's ENTIRE annual tax revenue, in benefits to Boeing. Is that really anything to be proud of? If Boeing moved and paid for everything on their own, there wouldn't be a word I could say against them. But they didn't. The tax payers did.
Also if this move turns out to the be the next great Boeing management disaster, like the 787 outsourcing was, the disaster will largely fall on the backs of SC and its tax paying citizens. Of course, that said, if Boeing ever decides to relocate ALL of it's production to SC, it could end up being a boon for them as well.
I actually disagree with the union on many issue and I didnÆt agree with the recent strikes, including the one in 2008.. I'm also not a Boeing IAM union member. In a way, I think the union is responsible for giving Boeing the political out they wanted to leave and chase states, like SC, that are embracing the "china model". It was pretty clear to anyone paying attention at the time that the company was bluffing when it reached out for concessions, prior to announcing the SC move. The union actually figured this out, but it was too late.
However, for all the faults of the unions, at least because of their high wages, they contributed significantly to both the local and federal tax base, as well the local and national economy with their high purchasing power.
