Seattle's socialist council member calls for worker takeover of Boeing

[seyferjm]

http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/21/socialist-seattle-councilmember-tells-bo


During a rally for unionized Boeing workers, Kshama Sawant, a recently elected Seattle City Councilmember and self-identified socialist, told her supporters that Boeing workers should consider taking over the factory.

[thoughtomator]

Sure why not. It'll put a war profiteer corp out of business faster than you can say "Marx".

[Demigod]

There was a case in Italy this summer where the owner of the factory gave the workers two months of paid vacation ( the workers of course took the vacation ) and while they were on vacation he transferred the factory to Poland.By the time the workers realized what he was doing they only managed to stop the last 6 trucks from leaving.He told them they could keep them because he was never coming back.

[FrankRep]

Sure why not. It'll put a war profiteer corp out of business faster than you can say "Marx".

Boeing also makes commercial planes.

Boeing should just get out of Seattle and come to Texas.

[MRK]

Given Boeing's government-teat suckling: suckle by the teat, drown by the teat?

[Anti Federalist]

Boeing should just get out of Seattle and come to Texas.

Read the article.

That's what all this is about:



The Boeing Machinists Rally was held on Monday in response to contract negotiation disputes between Boeing management and union representatives. The union rejected a contract proposal that would have guaranteed workers jobs for eight years to build the new 777X airliner in exchange for new employees giving up their company pensions.

Boeing representatives responded that the company does not plan to reopen a conversation with the union to renegotiate. Instead, representative Raymond Connor said that the company would consider moving its operations out of state and possibly out of the country. Angered by Boeing’s announcement, supporters of the union gathered to hear Sawant speak.

Sawant told the crowd: “[If Boeing leaves], that will be nothing short of economic terrorism because it’s going to devastate the state’s economy.”

Her solution? Simply don’t allow them to leave. According to KIRO TV, the Councilmember advocated a worker takeover of the means of production:

The only response we can have if Boeing executives do not agree to keep the plant here is for the machinists to say the machines are here, the workers are here, we will do the job, we don't need the executives. The executives don’t do the work, the machinists do. The workers should take over the factories, and shut down Boeing’s profit-making machine.

[Anti Federalist]

So, I guess it's safe to say that Boeing execs can expect to be shipped off to Gitmo if they continue to plan to leave Seattle?

Or, in a case of true irony, killed by cops using the war materials they made and that in turn were given to the cops by the feds.


Sawant, who ran on a platform to raise the Seattle minimum wage to $15 per hour, unionize Amazon and Starbucks, increase rent control, and “reduce the unfair tax burden on small businesses, homeowners, and workers,”

LOL

She'll have that seat for the rest of her life.

LOL @ Democracy.

[Petar]

I honestly hope that Boeing leaves and busts a whole ton of rioting union heads in the process.

Then, maybe those fuckers will start to reconsider their Marxist/corporatist bullshit for one half second (not holding my breath).

[Petar]

And in reality, isn't she abusing her position within the government to attempt to incite an actual riot?

Isn't that real actual terrorism as defined by the "Patriot Act" at this point?

I would semi-approve of her being shipped off to Gitmo for that, in all honestly.

[Paulbot99]

I don't care what happens to war profiteers, but this would set a terrible precedent.

[thoughtomator]

Boeing also makes commercial planes.

Boeing should just get out of Seattle and come to Texas.

Their recent efforts have been lousy at best. Planes that spontaneously catch on fire in midair due to the use of an unstable battery type? Who the hell signed off on that? When your premiere offering has an issue so widespread that it's got its own wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_787_Dreamliner_battery_problems), that's a really bad commercial business.

[seyferjm]

And in reality, isn't she abusing her position within the government to attempt to incite an actual riot?

Isn't that real actual terrorism as defined by the "Patriot Act" at this point?

I would semi-approve of her being shipped off to Gitmo for that, in all honestly.

I think Venezuela is more appropriate.

[Anti Federalist]

Their recent efforts have been lousy at best. Planes that spontaneously catch on fire in midair due to the use of an unstable battery type? Who the hell signed off on that? When your premiere offering has an issue so widespread that it's got its own wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_787_Dreamliner_battery_problems), that's a really bad commercial business.

Now, it's being reported that there are icing problems cropping up in the engines.

A technological issue that had been solved for decades in turbine powered aircraft.

But not in the new and improved computer planes.

Software is being blamed.

[Anti Federalist]

The whole airline business model is not sustainable.

That's why they need handouts all the time and the two biggest makers of commercial airliners are made in socialist areas.

[mad cow]

When Boeing leaves,just raise the minimum wage to $30/hour to make up for the lost tax base.
Easy,Peasy.

[Anti Federalist]

When Boeing leaves,just raise the minimum wage to $30/hour to make up for the lost tax base.
Easy,Peasy.

Cheapskate.

I say make it $100 an hour.

[mad cow]

Cheapskate.

I say make it $100 an hour.

That would be after Starbucks and Amazon flee.

[surf]

on the plus side, at least she was invited to the first city approved on city land pot party


On the first anniversary of legal weed in Washington state, the city will permit a big pot party on the site of Seattle Center’s old Fun Forest amusement park
....
Livingston’s party will start at 3 p.m. and run until 11 p.m. There will be an indoor area for partygoers as well as the outdoor smoking area, he said. He has invited local musician Jim Page, as well as new City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, City Attorney Holmes, and Councilmember Nick Licata.

He also notes that Pearl Jam’s current North American tour will end that same night at nearby KeyArena. http://www.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2022315697_potpartyxml.html

[FindLiberty]

http://www.airbus.com/

[Philhelm]

Cheapskate.

I say make it $100 an hour.

Tyrant. Eliminate money and have the government provide for all necessities.

[mad cow]

Tyrant. Eliminate money and have the government provide for all necessities.
That would be after Microsoft flees.

[Flugel89]

There was a case in Italy this summer where the owner of the factory gave the workers two months of paid vacation ( the workers of course took the vacation ) and while they were on vacation he transferred the factory to Poland.By the time the workers realized what he was doing they only managed to stop the last 6 trucks from leaving.He told them they could keep them because he was never coming back.

Can I get a source on this? Thats one of the funniest things I've ever read.

[oyarde]

Boeing also makes commercial planes.

Boeing should just get out of Seattle and come to Texas.

They are still there which tells you much :)

[oyarde]

http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/21/socialist-seattle-councilmember-tells-bo

Where I am , they would just fire 2/3 of them , give the rest a 20 cent raise,move ins fees up 15 cents, require them to double production, send the rest to a third world Country. Govt has no business in business . Business is the business of the people , not the takers .Seattle , lol

[Origanalist]

Where I am , they would just fire 2/3 of them , give the rest a 20 cent raise,move ins fees up 15 cents, require them to double production, send the rest to a third world Country. Govt has no business in business . Business is the business of the people , not the takers .Seattle , lol

It is a total embarrassment. I always refer to Washington as "the formerly great state of". I am truly blessed that my dear Mother moved me out of that cesspool when I was still young enough to recover.

[tod evans]

When Boeing leaves,just raise the minimum wage to $30/hour to make up for the lost tax base.
Easy,Peasy.


Cheapskate.

I say make it $100 an hour.

$200.00!


Do I hear $300.00?

[Root]

$200.00!


Do I hear $300.00?
If you vote for me, I'll work to raise the minimum wage to $500/hour, I promise. Together, we'll show Detroit how it's done.

[Demigod]

Can I get a source on this? Thats one of the funniest things I've ever read.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10262743/Italian-factory-owner-moves-company-to-Poland-while-staff-are-on-holiday.html

The part in the article where he says the only option was to move or shoot him self in the head is from an incident 2 years ago where an Italian bussinesman shot himself because he could not pay his taxes.And he was not an exception.

[angelatc]

Their recent efforts have been lousy at best. Planes that spontaneously catch on fire in midair due to the use of an unstable battery type? Who the hell signed off on that? When your premiere offering has an issue so widespread that it's got its own wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_787_Dreamliner_battery_problems), that's a really bad commercial business.


I would venture a guess that the unstable batteries are subsidized by the government. That business is a current political favorite, getting grants and no interest loans as part of the push to solar.

[angelatc]

Read the article.

That's what all this is about:


The union rejected a contract proposal that would have guaranteed workers jobs for eight years to build the new 777X airliner in exchange for new employees giving up their company pensions.

I went out to the internet to see if my hunch was true and it was. Nobody is really being asked to give up anything. If you have a retirement plan that you like, you can keep it. But new hires would be offered a 401(k) type of plan instead.


Also interesting that the union's national "leadership" had encouraged them to take the deal.

However, the union’s national leaders, who called on (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303985504579208153307845562?mod=dj emEditorialPage_h) the Washington chapter to take the deal, supported the “lopsided” proposal that they negotiated.
“One of the main things is the international negotiated it behind the local’s (and its members backs), … did a lousy job in selling it and tried to shove it down their throats,” one labor insider told the Washington Free Beacon.

So parts of Boeing will leave Seattle, Washington's credit rating might get downgraded as a result, the unions are in-fighting, and some other state that's not so much union will get jobs. Seems like a win-win.

[DamianTV]

If you vote for me, I'll work to raise the minimum wage to $500/hour, I promise. Together, we'll show Detroit how it's done.

Only bad part is no one else but them will be able to afford whats on the "Hundred Dollar Menu" at McDonalds...

[Keith and stuff]

MA is talking about raising the minimum wage. There will likely be a ballot question in 2014 to increase the min. wage to $10.50 over 2 years. But, the MA Senate just approved 2 bills. 1 calls for increasing the min. wage to $11 an hour over 3 years and the other calls for more than doubling the min. wage for tipped workers, to the level of $5.50 an hour.
http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php?topic=27322.0

[seapilot]

Now, it's being reported that there are icing problems cropping up in the engines.

A technological issue that had been solved for decades in turbine powered aircraft.

But not in the new and improved computer planes.

Software is being blamed.

Blame it on inflation. They are being forced to make planes more efficient and cheaper cost at the expense of reliability and longevity. Not good thing for aerospace future. Those turbines did not have many problems when they could burn more fuel using bleed air heat to get rid of that ice in the intakes. Now the new engines are a lot more fuel efficient but at what real cost?

The union workers in Washington voted themselves out of a job instead of job security. Boeing Execs knew the machinists would not take any cuts and planned on moving out of the state and they gave them a perfect excuse. The sad thing is the machinists that made the decision are 30,000 workers in WA while Boeing employees over 120,000 in the area that had no vote. The old Boeing company is pretty much dead (except for the 737) after the merger with McDonell Douglas. The MD execs took over and basically outsourced manufacture of most parts to where the only thing boeing makes anymore is the label on the side of the new plane (787).

At least Washington will be the leader in the country with MJ farming.

[kcchiefs6465]

So, I guess it's safe to say that Boeing execs can expect to be shipped off to Gitmo if they continue to plan to leave Seattle?

Or, in a case of true irony, killed by cops using the war materials they made and that in turn were given to the cops by the feds.



LOL

She'll have that seat for the rest of her life.

LOL @ Democracy.
Depending, they could go the way of, Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co.

In the interest of the state, I mean, common good, some tyranny is more acceptable than others.