Bite the hand that feeds you and you may go hungry

While it appears doubtful, I'm hoping that by the time this publication reaches your desk, the strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers against the Boeing Company has been settled. If it's not, the ramifications could be far reaching not only for Boeing and the 27,000 assembly workers who walked off the job, but also for another estimated 175,000 people that make their living thanks to Boeing being in business.

Everyone involved in the aerospace sector knows that it is either a feast or famine industry. No one should know this better than Boeing and its employees. In fact, not very long ago, Boeing was being overshadowed by Airbus, and the future of building commercial airplanes in the U.S. looked dismal. Today, Boeing has regained the top position and is looked upon as a support pillar for the U.S. economy. If this labor dispute continues, this support pillar will begin to crumble.

The best negotiators understand that a labor agreement is not a game of chess where opponents continue to make strategic moves until one is in checkmate. Rather, a fair labor contract consists of give-and-take where both parties must win and both parties must also lose. From my perspective, the International Association of Machinists is taking the same road that the United Auto Workers went down with the Big 3. And we're all aware of the situation in the automotive sector today, as well as the status of the Big 3.

The membership of this union needs to realize that a three-year contract that includes bonuses averaging $6,400, raises averaging 11%, pension increases, and a 3% cost-of-living boost is much more than the majority of U.S. workers will receive over the same time period. Everyone is being bruised financially due to higher oil prices, escalating grocery bills and the slumping housing industry. However, biting the hand that feeds us is not the answer.

Furthermore, this union needs to fully understand that not having the ability to outsource in today's global marketplace will continue to erode Boeing's competitive position, who just happens to be one of the nation's largest exporters. In fact, only 10% of Boeing's backlog is from U.S. airlines.

Yes, Boeing is making money and yes, they did post record profits for the first-half of this year. However, the company's backlog of orders wouldn't be as strong as it is today without the ability to outsource to other countries. In fact, outsourcing to various foreign countries is most likely an integral part of the purchase agreement.

Boeing's chief executive officer, Jim McNerney, must maintain his current position and hold strong on outsourcing. As Richard Aboulfia, aerospace analyst for the Teal Group, rightly points out: "McNerney has no choice. Compromising on the company's competitiveness is a losing game."