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<H2 class=date-header><SPAN>
<H1 class=title><FONT size=3>This story is disgusting. The National Machinst
Union collaborating with Boeing to sell out their own members so that
Boeing can make even more obscene profits at the expense of their
Workers.</FONT></H1>
<DIV class=title><FONT size=2>Kashama Sawant, the newly elected Socialist
Seattle city Council Woman, stated in a speech in regards to the Boeing Workers,
that if Boeing attempts to close or move their production factory, that the
Boeing Workers should occupy the plant. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=title><FONT size=2>This tactic has worked successfully in other areas
of the world, in particular France and Latin America. But the corporate boot
licking U.S. Union leadership would NEVER advocate this. Their loyalty is to
; the dues money flow, the capitalist system, and to the democratic party.
Instead of the members they are paid to represent.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=title><FONT size=2>AS I said back in 2011 during the Occupy Movement
activity : " We now need an Occupy Movement inside of American Unions
by rank and file members in addition to U.S. society at large. "</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=title><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=title><FONT size=2>David Johnson</FONT></DIV>
<H1 class=title><FONT size=3>.</FONT><A
href="http://weknowwhatsup.blogspot.com/">Facts For Working
People</A></H1>Saturday, January 4, 2014</SPAN></H2>
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<H3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">Bosses waged economic
terrorism against Boeing workers. </H3>
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<DIV class=MsoNormal>By Richard Mellor</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Afscme Local 444, retired</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal></DIV><BR>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"Brethren we conjure you...not to believe
a word of what is being said about your interests and those of your employers
being the same. Your interests and theirs are in a nature of things, hostile and
irreconcilable.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Then do not look to
them for relief...Our salvation must, through the blessing of God, come from
ourselves.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is useless to expect
it from those whom our labors enrich."</SPAN></I></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US">1840's
appeal from New England laborers </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Foner History of the Labor Movement Vol.
1 p192</SPAN></SPAN> </SPAN></I><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN></I></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN></I></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>In November of 2013 Boeing workers’ members of IAM District
Lodge 751 AFL-CIO <A
href="http://weknowwhatsup.blogspot.com/search?q=boeing+workers">rejected a
contract with deep concessions <SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">by a 67%
to 33% margin.</SPAN></A> <SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">A major issue
was pensions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Boeing bosses were
demanding the freezing of pensions and other concessions as they moved workers
from a defined benefit plan to a defined-contribution savings plan. We have seen
this trend throughout organized Labor and the potential of these heavy
battalions of the labor movement, the auto and aircraft workers to harm profits
and destabilize the US economy is well known; they have to be dealt with from
the bosses’ point of view. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">By rejecting that
contract, IAM members were standing in the forefront of the struggle not only to
defend their benefits and jobs, but the future for all workers, particularly
young workers entering or new to the workforce.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">The bosses were
not pleased. In the world of global capitalism, US workers have to become more
competitive if US capitalists are to stay ahead of the pack and keep profits
rolling in; we need to be brought more in line with the Koreas and Brazils as
one industrialist once said. Boeing bosses were not alone in their
concerns.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Union hierarchy atop
the IAM and organized Labor in general has the same worldview as the boss;
profits are sacrosanct, the market and capitalism must be defended.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They endorse the Team Concept, the view that
workers and bosses have the same economic interests, profits come first,
sacrifices have to be made-----by workers of course.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Yesterday, January
the third 2014, these same workers voted to accept these drastic concessions by
a 1% margin.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What happened in just
over a month?</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>What has happened is what always happens when the bosses
are faced with that first line of resistance, the rejection of a concessionary
contract.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What is really a gang
composed of Boeing execs, aircraft industry bosses and politicians----- in this
case representing the Democratic Party, one of the capitalist’s two major
parties------and the union hierarchy got together and orchestrated a major
assault on the Boeing workers and their families. They have waged a terror
attack of immense proportions. This existed before last month’s rejection but
went full steam ahead after it.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Leading up to this contract Boeing bosses had been
threatening to move production to non union plants in the South if the Seattle
Workers didn’t buckle under. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As
they always do, they blackmail our communities, forcing localities to offer free
land, low or no taxes, and other concessions in order to keep jobs there.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Boeing had already received $9 billion
in subsidies from Washington taxpayers. After November’s rejection, Boeing
bosses openly submitted bids to other states as the war against Boeing workers
intensified.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Workers were now faced with a full-scale onslaught by the
bosses’, their media, their politicians and their allies in our movement, the
heads of organized labor.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
leaders of the IAM International Union forced yesterday’s vote on a contract
that had already been rejected and that the local leadership opposed. The month
long war of terror inflicted on the Boeing workers took its toll and they got
their <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“yes” </I>vote, but only barely.
</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"We missed it by one
per cent because people were confused and worried about their jobs,” </I>one
worker said, “I’m still just numb,” said another.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"I think people that
voted for it were scared," </I>one worker was quoted by AP as saying, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"The pressure </I></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class=separator><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><A
style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right"
href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3sX5Ptx9dY/UsjWuP_JvAI/AAAAAAAAIyA/DeN8BMh7B20/s1600/628x471.jpg"
imageanchor="1"><IMG border=0
src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3sX5Ptx9dY/UsjWuP_JvAI/AAAAAAAAIyA/DeN8BMh7B20/s320/628x471.jpg"
width=320 height=204></A></I></DIV><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">from
the politicians and the community — people are scared about not having
good-paying Boeing jobs.”</I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There
is reason to be scared but more reason when you are faced with a powerful
combination of the bosses’ and your own leaders. That yesterday’s contract
passed by a small 1% margin shows the potential for a real fight back, an
offensive of our own to drive back the assault of the 1% and their politicians
on our standard of living.<BR>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>In times like these, those who claim to be our friends are
exposed as the treacherous enemies they are. All the politicians in one-way or
another pressured the workers, claimed the state’s future is doomed if they
didn’t take concessions. Jay Inslee, the lawyer and Washington State’s
Democratic governor hailed the deal along with Boeing execs<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">. "The tough vote taken by the Machinists
today means the 777X will be built in the only place it should be, by the only
people prepared to deliver,", </I>Washington State Senator, Patty Murray, a
Democrat, told the Associated Press.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Tom Buffenbarger, the IAM, International President forced
this vote over the objections of the local leadership.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>These people are enemies of the working
class, class traitors. The contract length is 8 years and Buffenbarger, like his
Democratic Party colleagues, boasts of the impact this will have on the economy
of Washington for, <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"For decades to come,
the entire region will benefit from the economic activity and technological
innovations that will accompany" </I>he tells the Associated Press<SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">. </SPAN>He has learned the art of propaganda well from
his business friends.<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>The local leadership can be commended for opposing the
contract but that is not enough as I explained in the previous blog.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"Our members have spoken and having said
that, this is the course we'll take," </I>Jim Bearden, a spokesperson for IAM
District Lodge 751 told the media.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>He added that, Boeing production workers <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"faced tremendous pressure from every source
imaginable." He took a dig at "the politicians and the media, and others, who
truly didn't have a right to get into our businesses, were aligned against us
and did their best to influence our folks' votes."</I></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Bearden was
right to take a dig at our enemies.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>But more than a dig is needed; they will always be in <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“our business” </I>and they will always use
their media and all sorts of terroristic threats and means to influence what we
do and how we think. The mass media has never been neutral always biased against
workers, it always has and always will, the same folks that own Boeing own the
mass media.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">What Is To Be
Done?</B></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>The local IAM leadership who have been undermined by the
class collaborators atop the IAM must openly condemn the traitorous role played
by the union hierarchy. They are not alone.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We saw the same during the ILWU’s
Longview struggle, the same with the grain silos, and the same with the BART
strike here in the Bay Area and the UFCW battles including the 2003 grocery
strike.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>The heads of the UAW have played the same role undermining
and crushing any resistance to the auto bosses’ assault on their members that
lifted its head among the ranks. In Cleveland NC the UAW leadership helped the
bosses terminate leaders of a local that struck to defend their members.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><BR><BR>Back in the 1980’s we saw a
serious attempt by sections of the US labor movement to counter the bosses’
offensive, Hormel, Eastern Airlines, Greyhound, Teamsters, these too were driven
back with the help of the leaders of the international unions and the
AFL-CIO.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>The labor hierarchy does not represent our interests; they
represent the interests of those that Bloomberg just announced yesterday have
increased their wealth more than $500 billion last year. Three hundred
individuals have accumulated $3.7 trillion in wealth and the richest one of them
lives in Washington State. As they say in today’s language, WTF!</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>There are thousands upon thousands of union rank and file
members and local leaders who have attempted to halt this offensive, this slide
in to pauperism. They fought heroically and lost thanks to the like of
Buffenbarger. Many of them simply gave up, became demoralized, found another
path in life through no fault of their own. They had and have nowhere to go. In
the nineteen eighties there were attempts to build a national movement, I
remember attending some of these efforts myself like the defunct Rank and File
Against Concessions. </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>I appeal to those leaders of Boeing’s IAM Local who opposed
this contract to move to change the course of US labor history and the balance
of class forces in the USA. I appeal to these brothers and sisters to
collectively and openly condemn the IAM International President Buffenbarger and
his executive board for their collaboration with the 1% in the destruction of a
standard of living that took decades of heroic sacrifice and struggle to
win.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is no guarantee of
decent jobs in the capitalist world, Buffenbarger just handed the future of our
youth over to the 1%.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>I appeal to them to use the media to our advantage as best
we can and reach out to their own members and the numerous other unions where
dissenters and genuine fighters have come up against the bosses and our own
leaders as they attempted to stem the concessionary tide. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>A call should be out out for a national conference to
declare the end to the assault on US workers and our communities and to build a
national movement to fight back.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>An
appeal should be made to all workers, union and non-union to come to it.
Throughout the country there are isolated battles and new developments like the
election of a socialist to Seattle city Council, the success of her colleague in
Minnesota, the election of independent union candidates in Ohio. The election of
Kshama Sawant, a socialist to Seattle City Council is very important and Sawant
should be approached to join in these efforts, she is the only politician that
has offered an alternative to defeat, that Boeing workers take over the plant in
some form of <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“democratic ownership”.
</I><A
href="http://weknowwhatsup.blogspot.com/2014/01/sawant-and-ohio-victoriesopportunity.html"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Read more here.</SPAN></A><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"></I></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>An isolated local or group of workers cannot defeat the
forces against us; we must have a national movement of our own. We cannot win,
worker against worker, state against state, region against region. Jobs and a
living for all is a minimum requirement for a decent life. A special appeal
should be made to those who have fought and lost to bring their experience and
skills to it. Most of the workers in our jails would not be there were an
alternative available.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>The workers that voted for this contract at Boeing saw no
way forward, no force that they can turn to that could counter the offensive of
the 1% and the labor hierarchy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Jim
Bearden, the IAM spokesperson said that his <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“members have spoken.” </I>But they have not
spoken. They were threatened, terrorized and coerced; the vote was illegitimate,
as illegitimate as the captive of a terrorist group’s confession with
blindfolded captors behind him holding machetes.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>It is a betrayal of those that fought before us and
especially of the youth of the future if we continue to allow this situation to
continue. We have no alternative but to fight.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Don’t forget to <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“like”</I> our Facebook page at: <SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><A
href="http://www.facebook.com/FactsForWorkingPeople">http://www.facebook.com/FactsForWorkingPeople</A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN><I>It will be a hard pill for many
Americans to swallow--the idea of doing with less so that big business can have
more...Nothing that this nation, or any other nation, has done in modern
economic history compares with the selling job that must be done to make people
accept this reality.</I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Business
Week 10-12-74</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>