Renton Chamber of Commerce President Lynn Wallace released the following statement this afternoon:

Renton has over a 70 yr history designing and building the best airplanes in the world. Aerospace companies and Boeing are a key component of Renton’s economic vitality supporting all of our businesses large and small. The community impacts of Boeing and its employees are a critical part of the Renton Community. On behalf of 550 companies and community organizations who are members of the Renton Chamber of Commerce, we ask the IAM to support Boeing’s contract offer to build the 777X in Washington state.  Ratification of a new long-term contract modification between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751 ensures the 777X wing fabrication and final assembly will be performed by thousands of Boeing employees at Boeing facilities in the Puget Sound region.

The legislation passed by Governor Inslee and the Washington state legislature was an important first step towards the goal of securing the 777X. The Renton Chamber thanks the Governor and legislature for their bold and swift action to secure our aerospace future. Tomorrow, a positive outcome on the IAM vote will preserve jobs and our industrial base here in Renton and across Puget Sound.