According to The Seattle Pilot-Intelligencer the International Association of Machinists District 751 wrote to the new Build Them Both Coalition that they support Boeing’s bid for the KC-X. They were responding to a letter sent to them by Build Them Both. The IAM argued that a split buy would not meet their goals of maximizing Washington jobs.

At the AFL-CIO Now Blog there is a story about the ten presidents of the AFL-CIO state federations sending a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates endorsing giving the tanker contract to Boeing. The union heads state that this is not only in the best interests of U.S. national security but also as an industrial base issue.

One of the reasons the U.S. is where it is at with this contract is that there is only one domestic source for the aircraft, Boeing. The only other manufacturer that can be really considered is EADS. To achieve any level of competition they have to be included otherwise the U.S. should just go back to the sole source lease idea shot down in 2001 – 2003.