Jilted by Boeing, Wichita workers feel duped

(CBS News) 

WICHITA, Kan. - Manufacturing has been the lifeblood of Wichita, Kansas. One of every five planes built in the U.S. was made there. But folks in Wichita say Boeing doublecrossed them when it announced plans to shut down the factory in town.

Boeing has produced planes in Wichita since the 1920's, employing generations of workers like Ted Bates -- an engineer for 34 years.

But now employees like Bates are shaking their heads at how Boeing's treated their hometown.

"You lose respect for those people who can't keep a consistent story. It's not just about employees; it's about a community," Bates told CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod.

Ted Bates worked for 34 years at the Boeing plant in Wichita, Kansas

(Credit: CBS)

In 2008, Boeing asked Kansas officials to help win a $3.5 billion contract for 18 Air Force tankers. Wichita's Mayor Carl Brewer says Kansas had a long history of coming through for Boeing. In fact, Axelrod notes that Boeing received 650 tax breaks over the last 30 years and $3.5 billion dollars in bonds.

"That is an awful lot of money. We thought that meant something to them but obviously in today's environment it didn't," Brewer said.

Brewer and the Kansas congressional delegation lobbied the Pentagon hard. In return Boeing promised the tanker work would be kept in Wichita, saving 2,100 jobs and creating 7,500 more.

Brewer told Axelrod that Boeing promised to stay in Wichita and that he was told "it's gonna be just like it's been for the past 84 years."

All that lobbying paid off. Last February Boeing was awarded the $3.5 billion contract. No one here heard another word until November when, out of the blue, Boeing said it was rethinking its plans.

The company announced it was moving the tanker work out of Kansas to other U.S. plants and closing its Wichita operation next year.

Watch: Boeing to shut down Kansas factory
Boeing to close Wichita facility by end of 2013

"The decision to close Boeing Wichita is substantial and will impact the skilled men and women who work here and their families we do not take this decision lightly," Boeing VP Mark Bass said.

As for Brewer, he says he feels duped.

"You can't help but feel that way because come 2013, I'll have 2,100 workers out here that are trying to figure out what they're going to do," Brewer said. "Plus 7,500 jobs that will not come here."

Brewer -- who worked for Boeing for 20 years -- would love an explanation from the company. Trouble is he can't get his calls returned.

[WilliamBruce3]

Here's background on Boeing. It's not pretty.

http://williambruce.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/boeing-shows-its-true-colors-again/

[Skyhawk75]

This is not rocket science. Boeing just built a billion dollar plant in South Carolina.... a right to work state. The Seattle union boys filed a bogus lawsuit to stop Boeing from using it. Our President, through his NLRB joined that suit. Boeing struck a deal with the Union boys in Seattle, stating they would bring the tanker deal to Seattle ""if" they didn't build it in Wichita". The Seattle thugs dropped their lawsuit, The NLRB suddenly decided to also drop its lawsuit, and then...ABRACADABRA,
Boeing immediatley "discovered" that it was not economically feasible to build the tanker in Wichita, Kansas!!!... Also a right to work state, and a much smaller union group that Boeing deals with than the group in Seattle.
This smells like one more example of rank cronyism, using the pressure of government agency to buttress a political money machine. One can only speculate how much Seattle pac money can be loaded in a 747. It seems like the Wichita locals should have a nice case against their own unions for selling them out.

[mari1963]

Watching this story, it bothered me that the Mayor was smiling during the interview. Also, I do not feel sorry for Ted Bates. He's worked at Boeing for 34 years, he's worked 4 years past his retirement requirement. He will get his pension. His co workers, however, will be struggling on the unemployment line.

[noloyalisti]

There is no news about this in the Top 1% corporation media but don't forget that tomorrow Friday, January 20th is a nationwide Occupy the Courts action. Maybe the jilted workers should join the protests against Citizens United. Complete listing of actions at https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212543303386647618890.0004b3214495abde956d0&msa=0&ll=52.908902,-106.875&spn=13.828201,43.110352

[Syracuse65]

The employees in Seattle and Texas knew the tankers were going to them. The only people who seemed to be in the dark were Wichitans. Boeing announced the closure and then asked all 2100 employees to pretty please stay with the company until 2013 when the move was complete. Like we owe them anything. What I want to know is -where is the former US Rep Todd Tiahrt the Great? Champion of Boeing Wichita. Champion of the Air Force Tanker deal. Not a word has been spoken from his golden lips. Figures. Something tells me he has known the plan for quite a while.

[noloyalisti]

What does the 99% expect from a slimewad, greedy, evil and un-American top 1% corporation? This is standard far with these creeps. Time to start revoking corporate charters I think.

[kansas1946]

Just another scummy corporation with no soul. I live in Wichita and my dad worked for them for 15 years until the crash in 1967/68. As a child I decided to never marry anyone who worked for one of the aircraft plants, and there are plenty of them here, because the layoff fear is there constantly.

[Mike_in_USA]

So, where's the NLRB? I am sure they want to tell Boeing what to do. Oh yeah, these jobs are probably going to union shops. Just a thought.

[Testor1234]

States need to stop giving tax breaks to corporations. Let them leave our country. I want my dignity.

[BobAbn]

Where are they going to increase production at? I say this because Kansas is a right to work state. Seeing how much grief the NLRB gave Boeing before.... I'm just asking