Published Monday, September 16, 2024 in The Stand

Support for Striking Machinists Surges

As Machinists continue their strike, community members are rallying around the workers.

Machinists walked off the job Friday to man their pickets, backed up by the community. As picket lines went up in the Puget Sound, Portland, Victorville, Edwards AFB, and Moses Lake, community members have shared their support online, driving by strike lines, and joining the workers to walk the picket.

The Machinists are fighting for a fair contract that protects the working people who build Boeing's planes — and the working people who fly on them. For decades, Boeing has used its economic power to stagnate wages, strip Machinists of their pensions, and raise their healthcare costs.

Boeing has tried to squeeze the workers in pursuit of ever-increasing profits, and squeezed the supply chain and safe production practices. These choices by leadership at Boeing have directly lead to both this strike and public safety concerns.

Machinists at Boeing are sounding the alarm, and the community is amplifying the call. Support comes in many ways; early Friday morning, workers in a nearby building played music and flashed lights, adding some energy to the line. Community members have brought pizza and supplies to the workers. There's a steady stream of honks from passing cars at many of the picket locations, and over the weekend, supporters flocked to the lines, including elected officials like U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, who shared a message of support online:

On Tuesday, the Machinists Union will meet with federal mediators assigned through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and Boeing to begin discussions. As the union heads back to the table, support for the workers is all the more essential as they keep the pressure on Boeing.

TAKE A STAND — You can support striking Machinists by joining them on the picket line and signing the Machinists' solidarity pledge. Pickets are manned 24/7, and support is especially helpful in the evenings, overnight and early AM.

Picket HQs:

Seattle: 9125 15th Place South Seattle, WA 98108
Everett: 2407 106th Street SW Everett, WA 98204
Renton: 233 Burnett Ave N.Renton, WA 98057
Auburn: 201 "A" St. SW Auburn, WA 98001
Frederickson: Fredrickson Industrial Park Rd E, Puyallup, WA 98375
Moses Lake/Edwards AFB/Victorville: Main gates

https://www.thestand.org/2024/09/support-for-striking-machinists-surges/