The International Association of Machinists District 751 sent its 2012-2016 Boeing contract agreement to its 29,000-plus members today with a headline-grabbing commitment from Boeing: The 737MAX project, Boeing's next major airplane, will be manufactured in the Pacific Northwest, in local plants from Portland to Renton to Everett.

The union, whose leadership acknowledges they gave a little on health care cost sharing (but scored on pensions), urged its members to pass the "unprecedented commitment by Boeing to Puget Sound and Portland for the 737MAX and the related manufacturing that’s currently being performed here."

The talks, quietly initiated in October by Boeing and done inconspicuously during the last two months, produced an early contract agreement.[pullquote]"I just had to come down to the senate floor at this moment to say that Christmas came early to the Northwest today.—US Sen. Maria Cantwell"[/pullquote]

In its letter to members urging approval, the union writes:

This will generate long-lasting security for our members. It also resulted in a Boeing commitment to the success and continuation of the other airplane programs where our members have shown time and again their expertise, productivity and quality, resulting in increased profits for the Company.

Based on many factors – the current economy, the state of affairs at Boeing and our ability to secure unprecedented Job Security for our members -- we unanimously recommend you vote to accept this proposed contract extension.

Neither Boeing nor the union would put a hard number on what this means in terms of jobs, but IAM 751 spokeswoman Connie Kelliher estimated jobs in "the thousands." More importantly, Kelliher said: "Had they not decided to build it here, it would have meant they were really no longer here. This is a real signal. This is Boeing's next project, and they want to do it here."

Just two years ago, Boeing decided to produce its new 787, the Dreamliner, in South Carolina. The IAM filed a complaint in 2010 with the National Labor Relations Board arguing that the decision was retaliation for an IAM strike in 2008. The National Labor Relations Board filed a formal complaint against Boeing over its decision.

In that context, the 737 news easily takes today's Jolt.

Here's the union's announcement in full to its members.

Meanwhile, pretty much every Puget Sound politician fired off a press release. Here's what U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA, 9), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, had to say:

I am pleased that Boeing and the International Association of Machinists have come to an agreement to build the new 737 MAX in Boeing’s Renton, Washington plant pending ratification of a labor agreement. Boeing’s intent to build Next-Generation 737s and the 737 MAXs in the Renton facility is great news for the Puget Sound Region. 737 MAX production in Renton would guarantee employment for thousands of workers and provide a much needed boost to the local economy.

I applaud the effort that Boeing and IAM have put into securing an early agreement to ensure the Puget Sound Region remains a leader in aerospace manufacturing.

And U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell applauded the deal on the senate floor, announcing: "I just had to come down to the senate floor at this moment to say that Christmas came early to the Northwest today."