Oddbean

On brink of war with Iran, US Labor Secretary heads to Seattle in effort to shut down Boeing strike ========== Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su flew to Seattle on October 14, 2024, to negotiate with union and company officials to end a four-week strike by 33,000 Boeing workers; Su's involvement indicates a government effort to impose a contract favorable to management; Boeing announced plans to lay off 10% of its global workforce, equating to 17,000 employees; The Biden administration's intervention follows a recent three-day strike shutdown on the East Coast and Gulf Coast docks; Jerry White, vice presidential candidate for the Socialist Equality Party, criticized the administration's actions, linking them to corporate safety issues and the escalation of war in the Middle East; Boeing's lawyers argued in court that the company should not face severe penalties due to its role in national defense; Workers express concern over layoffs and inadequate strike pay, with some seeking other employment; The strike is seen as part of a broader struggle against corporate power and U.S. imperialism. #Boeing #LaborStrike #JulieSu #UsPolitics #Iran #War #Union #CorporatePower #WorkingClass #Socialism https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/10/15/boei-o15.html