By KWGS News
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Metro Chamber joined regional and state partners Jan. 3 in announcing a unified effort to retain American Airlines' operations in Tulsa. Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, City of Tulsa, Tulsa Metro Chamber, Tulsa County, area municipalities, Transport Workers Union of American #514, Oklahoma AFL-CIO, Oklahoma's federal delegation and regional legislative delegation have pledged support to American Airlines MRO-Tulsa as the reorganization progresses.
The groups and individuals said their goal is to find the best outcome for northeastern Oklahoma, and the region's strong aerospace industry, which represents more than 100 businesses and 30,000 employees. The aerospace industry also has a great economic impact, statewide.
Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce Dave Lopez stated: "The aerospace industry in our state includes more than 1,000 aerospace companies and jobs for more than 100,000 Oklahomans. But it's also important to remember that those aerospace jobs are people. In addition to the economic impact, the human impact on friends and neighbors also compel us to work together to work with American Airlines to achieve the best outcome possible for everyone affected."
The Chamber's Tulsa's Future initiative acknowledges the importance of the aerospace sector to growing and retaining existing jobs in our region. The industry impacts scores of businesses and thousands of jobs throughout our region.
"American Airlines, with more than 6,500 employees and a major maintenance and repair base in Tulsa, is a vital piece of the economies of not only the region but also the state, and there must be cohesive effort across diverse sectors statewide to find a solution to keeping American's locally-based operations and employees in the Tulsa area, said Stuart Solomon, Tulsa's Future chair and president and COO of Public Service Company of Oklahoma. "There is phenomenal cooperation on behalf of many groups and individuals in this effort to maintain the operations of this valued business and employer."
"Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett stated: "This is not a time for us versus them. American Airlines is an icon in Tulsa's past, present and future. We're all in this one together, and together we'll work this out for Tulsa."