Speaking of the issues

How to Sustain Our Success

The strength of the Boeing airplane orders backlog — about one-quarter trillion dollars at the end of 2007 — gives the company and employees a unique opportunity during 2008 negotiations.

The backlog is impressive in its spread over the Boeing product line and unprecedented in the geographic diversity of customers.

This diverse backlog provides an opportunity to increase Boeing's stability in the cyclical aerospace industry, and for everyone at Boeing to share in this success and enjoy job stability — if we can sustain our momentum and demonstrate to our customers that we can be a reliable supplier. This includes taking a different approach to negotiations.

It also presents a great challenge. The airplanes were sold on the assumption that we would continue to make significant productivity gains. All Boeing employees have a stake in making sure we are successful in meeting our targets and our customer commitments.

Improving productivity keeps us competitive, successful and able to provide good jobs for generations to come.