Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) has released this statement in regards to possible unionization of its South Carolina Boeing 787 workforce by the IAM:

Boeing was notified on March 16 that the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a union election at the company’s North Charleston, S.C., facilities.

If the NLRB permits it, a vote will be scheduled for eligible teammates to decide whether they will turn over their rights to the IAM or keep a direct relationship with the company.

“Boeing South Carolina teammates have done what so many people said couldn’t be done. And they did it by working together, engaging every day, and truly committing themselves to the success of our site,” said Beverly Wyse, Boeing South Carolina’s newly appointed vice president and general manager. “And let’s be really clear, the IAM was not part of this success – it was our BSC teammates. In fact, the IAM aggressively opposed it, as publicly demonstrated by their filing of a claim with the National Labor Relations Board, to try to keep our site from even opening. Now, simply by filing this petition, the same union that tried to take our jobs and our work, has already begun to divide our team at a time when we’re just beginning to gel and catch a solid rhythm in production.”

Boeing firmly believes that a union is not in the best interest of Boeing South Carolina teammates and their families, their communities, and the state of South Carolina, especially after years of the IAM insulting the abilities of Boeing South Carolina teammates and fighting against BSC’s success.

“We think our Boeing South Carolina teammates deserve to pave their own future and keep their hard-earned money in their own pockets,” said Wyse. “In fact, they’ve been very successful doing just that for the past five years. They’ve built not only new airplanes, but also a new site, and new opportunities for an incredible future here in South Carolina by working together as a team, without the distractions of a union. We’re extremely proud of what our teammates have accomplished.”

Boeing South Carolina has established several outlets to keep teammates, their families and the community updated throughout this process, including a website and Facebook page that provides information, facts, data, and additional resources related to the IAM’s unionizing efforts in South Carolina.