Airbus is Helping to Bring Jobs Home To Alabama

A “Bring Jobs Home” rally conducted by the United Steelworkers (USW) District 9 Rapid Response Team on June 30 at Alabama State in Montgomery, AL was perfect backdrop for the announcement of a $600 million Airbus aircraft assembly plant in Mobile. The Steelworkers were joined by members of the Alabama AFLC-CIO and Leadership Summit. “Bring Jobs Home” Act includes two bills, HR 5542 and S-2884.

Labor 2012 Coordinator James Crowder, USW Local 351-L

Labor 2012 Coordinator Shane Mitchell USW Local 12-L

Special guests included: Senator Henry "Hank" Sanders,  Mayor of Selma, AL, George Evans, State Attorney Sharon Wheeler, Alabama AFL-CIO Sec/Treasurer Bren Riley,  Alabama AFL-CIO President Al Henley, Reverend Jack Zylman and District 9 Rapid Response Coordinator Greg England.

(L to R)  are Bren Riley,  Mayor George Evans, Greg England

The announcement brings some relief to a struggling Alabama economy and to stagnant employment. It is a victory for Sanders and Evans who have been strong supporters of working men and women and played a role in bringing Airbus to Mobile.

Airbus said it will break ground on the massive factory next summer and the project would create more than 3,000 jobs during a two-year construction period. The plant is slated to deliver its first planes in 2016, and will be ramped up to full production of 40-50 planes annually by 2018. When fully operational, the plant is expected to employ 1,000 workers and create thousands more jobs at parts suppliers and other related businesses expected to locate near the plant.

(L-R) Greg England, Shane Mitchell, AL Rapid Response State Coordinator,  Bren Riley, Senator Hank Sanders, State Attorney Sharon Wheeler and  Bren Riley

(L-R) Marv Wise, Machinist International, Bren Riley, Al Henley, Reverend Jack Zylman, James Crowder, Betty Crowder (James wife) and Shane Mitchell