"While I'm heartened that SPEEA's larger bargaining unit approved a new contract tonight, I am concerned about the split vote and the technical workers' rejection of the agreement. I spoke with representatives of SPEEA and The Boeing Company tonight to urge both sides to resume negotiations and bring about a resolution as soon as possible. We cannot overstate the importance of the aerospace industry to the economy of Washington. There are more than 131,000 employees in aerospace-related companies working across the state, the vast majority of which are directly reliant on The Boeing Company. I look forward to the day when this issue is fully settled and we are working with SPEEA, Boeing and all the companies throughout the supply chain to grow the industry, create jobs, and strengthen Washington's position as the world leader in aerospace."
Story Body