In 1989, Boeing employment in the Puget Sound region was at a record high of over 106,000 workers. In the early 1990s, amid a national recession and increased competition from Airbus, Boeing’s European competitor, the Boeing Company announced a 36% reduction to commercial aircraft production and a cut of 19,000 jobs in the region.

In this photo, recently inaugurated President Bill Clinton addresses over 5,000 Boeing employees at the Everett plant. The engine of a 747-400 cargo jet is seen behind President Clinton and the Boeing employees selected to join him on the stage. Major topics addressed were the recently announced layoffs, the struggling aviation industry, and the impact of Airbus. Here, two Boeing employees join Clinton at the podium, presenting him with Boeing-branded tee shirts.

Caption information sources: “Airbus Remarks Anger Europeans,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer: February, 24, 1993, p. B6; “We Need Your Help, Clinton Told,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer: February 23, 1993, p. A1; “A ‘Neighborly’ President Says What They Like,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer: February, 23, 1993, p. A1
Caption information source: "Boeing and Washington's Aerospace Industry, 1934-2015,” by Jim Kershner, HistoryLink.org essay 11111.