The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.59/No.42           November 13, 1995 
 
 
Head To Seattle November 12  

Head to Seattle November 12. That should be the watchword for working people and rebel-minded youth across the United States. The rally called there in support of the Boeing workers' strike will be an important time to show solidarity and deal a blow for our class against the bosses.

All working people have a stake in the outcome of the struggle at Boeing. The aerospace giant is trying to force concessions on the 32,500 machinists, including cuts in health care for workers and retirees, no wage increase for two years, and more layoffs. Beating back this attack would strengthen the position of all workers facing this kind of offensive by the employers.

The Boeing strike is part of a slight conjunctural upturn in labor skirmishes. Over the last couple of months, we've seen several examples of working-class fightback that highlight the importance of solidarity.

Steelworkers at WCI in Warren, Ohio, pushed back the company's union-busting attempts and won a contract in October. The steelmaker had locked out the unionists and then tried to run the plant with strikebreakers. Fellow workers, students, and others in the area rallied to support the steelworkers, though. As the unionists and their supporters refused to back off or be intimidated by company thugs, WCI was forced first to suspend production at the mill and then to reach a settlement.

The newspaper workers strike in Detroit, now in its fourth month, is also winning broad support. Picket-line mobilizations of as many as 3,000 strikers and supporters have slowed production and illustrated the broad backing the workers have. Some of the unionists have now set up a speakers bureau in order to get the word on their strike out to unionists and other fighters.

At the same time, United Auto Workers members at Caterpillar continue to walk the lines, more than a year into the strike, and shorter battles like strikes at General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania, and by bus drivers in Twin Cities, Minnesota, break out here and there.

In the course of fighting these battles, workers can begin to draw some important lessons on the need for unity among all working people. In Detroit there have been discussions on the picket line about how racist comments against strikebreakers who are Black or Latino divide and weaken all workers.

Union officials have put most of the blame for job losses at Boeing on the subcontracting of work overseas. In the context of building the strongest possible fight against the company, however, workers can discuss out why we need international solidarity.

So turn out for the rally in Seattle November 12. Bring along friends and co-workers. And get involved in building solidarity in your area with all of these labor struggles. You can get out to the picket line along with others, or invite a striker to come speak at your union, campus, or community, as well as at political events ranging from Cuba solidarity meetings to rallies to defend Mumia Abu-Jamal, where fighting workers can connect with others who are in struggle.

 
 
 
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