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    Calif. Governor Works Deal with Air China

    Sept. 18, 2006
    The governor helped negotiate a multimillion-dollar deal that will allow United Services to do maintenance on Air China's planes.

    Source Inside Bay Area

    1158587593687 10396807

    With an airplane hanger as his backdrop Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted his efforts to bring more jobs to California by facilitating deals with foreign airlines.

    Schwarzenegger told a crowd of United Service maintenance workers that 636,000 new jobs have been created since he took office.

    "California is once again back," he said. "California is once again shining."

    Schwarzenegger said his trade mission to China last year will bring economic prosperity to United Services, the maintenance division of United Airlines located at San Francisco International Airport. The governor helped negotiate a multimillion-dollar deal that will allow United Services to do maintenance on Air China's planes, a move that could stabilize jobs for local mechanics.

    Since United Services declared bankruptcy in 2002, mechanics' wages have been drastically cut and their job security has been uncertain.

    With this new deal, United Services will overhaul Boeing 747 and 777 engines for Air China. If they have aircraft from foreign airlines to work on, the mechanics may have more job stability, according to union officials.

    In addition to his trade mission to China in 2005, Schwarzenegger also traveled to Tokyo in 2004. During those trips, he used his celebrity status to advertise California products. He's also planning a trade mission for November.

    "California is the easiest product I have ever had to sell," he said. "My contribution is to promote California and to bring business leaders together. They do the hard work by building fantastic products and services that make our state so great."

    Schwarzenegger, who toured the United Services facilities before speaking, applauded the company for rehiring 128 workers who had been laid off.

    The governor drew applause from the crowd by using one of his signature film lines to wrap up his speech: "I'll be back."

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