Portland Boeing strikers are determined to win

Portland, Oregon

Over 30,000 Boeing workers, members of the Machinists union (IAM), have been on strike in the Pacific Northwest since Sept. 13. Portland is one of the cities where the IAM has kept up militant picket lines. Workers World spoke with strikers on the picket line on Sept. 22.

Amid the constant stream of supportive honks by drivers passing by, strike captain Dan Peterson said: “In Portland, we are 1,244 strong, and I’m proud of each one of us. We do the hard stuff, working with the hard metal machines. We expect Boeing to negotiate a fair contract. What they’ve offered us so far is a slap in the face. We will be here until they do.” 

Peterson added: “They expect us to work a lot of overtime we don’t always want to do. We want them to stop mandatory overtime.” He said workers are fighting for better wages, benefits and safety from a company that has been making critical errors, critical mistakes and blaming the workers for it.

Scott, a striker, said: “Boeing is not negotiating. We’ve only gotten a 4% increase in the last decade. We’re getting the same benefits and wages we’ve gotten for the last 16 years.” 

One activist out with the strikers works inside the Boeing plant with other members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA). They are not on strike but are walking the picket lines in support of the machinists.

Sally, Scott’s spouse, said the families will be standing beside the strikers the whole way.

“We have the working class on our side,” said another striker. “We’ve had a ton of support from the community, other unions and union officials.” 

IAM International President Brian Bryant spoke to the strikers at a large rally on Sept. 19 outside of Boeing’s facility in Portland. He told the audience: “They need to come to the table with an offer that truly reflects what our members need, what their workers need, and that’s something that makes up for the 10 years of wage stagnation, the 10 years of a loss of a pension, 10 years of the continuous increase in health insurance costs.” (kgw.com, Sept. 19)

At the rally, Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor told the strikers, “Now, it’s time for Boeing [executives] to stop listening to the 50th floor and start listening to the factory floor, and settle a fair contract!” National AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler has also expressed support.

Scott said the strike has increased the solidarity the workers at Boeing already had. It has strengthened the whole community. It helps other workers in our class and the community at large.