Months after the hugely successful demonstrations against the World Trade Organization in Seattle, unionized engineers and engineering techs are now shutting down technical operations at the Boeing Co. These brave and dedicated workers are trying to curb the power of the aircraft behemoth. They need our help.
Boeing, the world’s largest multinational airframe manufacturer and a major host of the Seattle WTO Ministerial, forced out its engineering workers by refusing to provide fair procedures for raises or fund longterm disability and life insurance benefits.
The company is a champion of “free” trade on its own terms, a flagrant polluter and a political bully in national and Washington State politics--invariably writing or bending laws for its own benefit. Boeing is a determined opponent of employee rights: it just settled a discrimination suit by African American employees and is now being sued by Hispanic workers. It refuses to even discuss costs of living adjustments for retirees and is notorious for relying on frequent massive layoffs of veteran workers to prop up profits.
There’s a place on the SPEEA picket lines for the union militants, environmentalists, feminists, radicals and dissidents of all persuasions whose demonstrations and rallies disrupted the WTO meetings. Volunteers are very welcome and have an opportunity to make history again by participating in the first major work stoppage by Boeing engineers.
Sustained solidarity is the key to building the world of shared plenty and environmental sanity that is sought by working people everywhere.
Call SPEEA at 1-800-325-0811 to offer help or pick up a sign at the nearest Boeing gate throughout the Puget Sound area and in Philadelphia, Portland, Los Angeles or Wichita. Strike fund donations should be sent to SPEEA, 15205 52nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98188.
Henry Noble
Boeing retiree