By ALLAN THOMPSON
It’s now time for both Democrats and Republicans in Washington state to step up to the plate as we consider building new ferries.
The very nature of this situation is the same problem we are having nationally. If we want good local jobs, a robust economy, apprenticeship programs, work training, investment in modern technology and manufacturing, it is going to cost money. If we move this work out of state, we are just not losing all the before mention items, we are also removing $1.07 billion (the Nichols Bros. bid) from the local and state economy, we would also remove the economic multiplier effect which is considered by some to be approximately four times. That means losing around $4.28 billon from the economy that would help support small businesses, farmers, schools and provide more tax dollars. There would also be a loss of skilled workers, like welders, pipefitters and other trades.
Let’s be clear, the bid from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders is $350 million more than the out-of-state competitor. However, it also costs less to build a plane in South Carolina than it does here, but we have given Boeing around $8 billion in tax breaks and incentives to stay while they have continued to move jobs out of state. The taxpayers of Washington paid for that. Just think about how many ferries $8 billion would have built.
This is an opportunity to keep jobs here and build our maritime industry. So, it appears, it’s fine to keep good paying jobs here if it’s aerospace, but not maritime … unless we do away with environmental regulations, worker safety requirements, labor unions and anything that may impede us from paying the lowest price possible.
If lowering costs and making Washington more business friendly is what’s important, then everyone in the workforce can jumpstart the process by requesting that their employer reduce their wages immediately; that would show commitment to the process. Just like in China…and if all we want is the lowest cost possible, then we might as well have the boats built in China and stop kidding ourselves, about how important this type of work is for the state, because to reinvigorate this type of manufacturing is going to take commitment, in both time and money.
Finally, this type of situation is not about politics, because if we don’t work to retain this type of work, it will leave and that will impact everyone. On the other hand, if nothing is done, and the industry dies a slow death, then all the usual suspects can complain and point their finger and say someone else is responsible for the loss. The solution may be more straight forward than we think. Demand that the state and Nichols Bros. sit down at the table and hammer out the best possible deal to build all the ferries here, realizing that everyone is not going to get what they want, but that a compromise can be met that will work for everyone.
Allan Thompson is a Coupeville resident.
