Published Monday, January 30, 2023 at kiro7.com
Labor Unions, Residents See Economic Impact with New Boeing Assembly Line Coming to Everett in 2024
by Jake Chapman, KIRO 7 News
EVERETT, Wash. — Boeing’s announcement that a fourth assembly line will be added to their Everett facility to produce more 737 Max aircraft has already gotten a lot of attention.
Jon Holden, President of the Machinist Union District 751, sees this as a win-win situation for more than future Boeing workers.
“We can own homes. We can save for our families to get a higher education or go into trade school. We can do a lot in our community with these jobs,” Holden said.
Holden isn’t the only one who thinks this. People in Everett and throughout Snohomish County feel a ripple effect of economic growth could come from this.
“I am a very business-oriented person, so I believe in giving corporations what they need in order to hire the people that create growth in our world,” Cheryl Granger, who lives in Everett, said.
“And hopefully, it will help us, to be honest. (The pandemic) really took a big effect on us. Not just us, but everybody in general, like other businesses,” a woman by the name of Harpreet said.
Holden also sees Boeing investing more in western Washington as a good sign for the future of aviation.
“Whether that’s a 757 replacement or whether that is a new single aisle down the road, our members are ready to meet those needs,” Holden said.
“So, I am glad that Everett decided to do what they did in order to work with Boeing and make it a win-win for everybody,” Granger said.
In a pair of statements shared with KIRO 7, a Boeing spokesperson spoke about the new assembly line, as well as future job growth for the company:
On the 737 line:
“Boeing will establish a fourth 737 MAX production line in Everett beginning in the second half of 2024. Demand for the 737 MAX, especially newer models like the 737-8-200 and 737-10, continues to rise, and adding production capacity will allow us to better meet the needs of our customers. The new line will increase 737 MAX production capacity by 25%. Given the proximity to our 737 factory in Renton, Everett is a great fit with the availability of highly skilled workers and factory space.”
— Jim Proulx, Boeing Communications
On employment:
“We grew Boeing’s global workforce by about 15,000 last year to 156,000 employees, driven by significant hiring in engineering and manufacturing. This talent is helping us design, build and support the next generation of aerospace and defense products for our global customers. In 2023, Boeing intends to hire about 10,000 employees with a focus within our business units and in engineering and manufacturing as we look to further stabilize our operations, increase production and invest in innovation.”
— Jim Proulx, Boeing Communications
The precise number of jobs created by adding a fourth assembly line is currently unclear. Proulx says those numbers are still being ironed out.