Aerospace Workers Debate Communist Solution
PUGET SOUND, WA (USA) — “When you are out on the weekend, you should be looking forward to coming to work Monday morning,” said the Boeing bigshot. Disdainful laughter erupted.
Who could blame us? The company—in collusion with the union—had just weaponized the attendance policy. The hundreds herded into a theatre to hear his pitch knew this all too well. Many will lose their jobs under these rules.
Only communism can end punitive attendance policies, once and for all.
The boss had just described how he tooled around on his boat and traveled the world with his wife. “Yeah, he wants us to come to the factory to make profits so he can continue to live his pampered lifestyle,” a worker remarked.
Company-speak like this never works. Workers see that it’s only a cover for how the company uses punishment to insure we are exploited on the job. This 187-page attendance policy puts the threat of firing front and center.
“I hate it when things get this complicated,” said one worker, reflecting the general sentiment. “Somebody up there wants to screw you when it gets this complicated.”
Most workers understand this. Even the shop steward at a crew meeting dedicated to explaining the new policy agreed. Later we discussed the communist alternative: no attendance policy!
Motivating Communist Work
Our comrade started this discussion by stating that the real problem is having attendance rules at all. If we were producing for the needs of our class, we wouldn’t require them.
The shop steward agreed that we could collectively figure out how many people it would take to produce what we need. Now people come to work because they must earn a wage. There is no incentive to give an extra effort if it goes to the company’s profits.
“But how do you deal with someone who doesn’t want to come to work?” asked the shop steward.
Many people ask us that.
In communism, the incentive is social responsibility. We could work that out, too.
“That’s right,” she agreed.
You can’t work it out if production is for profits. Then the bosses need laws: weaponized policies to punish people who won’t submit. She really agreed with this.
Work, Not Jobs
In communism, everyone will work, but nobody will have a job. A job means some boss must be able to exploit you. And communism won’t have any profit-driven bosses.
We’ll no longer be wage slaves. Workers will produce collectively to provide for our needs.
Without exploitation work will become a labor of love. Unlike company-speak this scenario is real, not a con.
The working class will become masters of production and all of society. We will decide what we need to produce and how many hands we need to produce it. We will eliminate the division between those who decide what is needed and those who do the work.
Boeing workers had dozens of discussions like this. Comrades and friends tried to introduce early on the idea that communism will allow us to eliminate attendance rules altogether. We’re meeting with a few friends to write letters to Red Flag about the reactions they got when they raised this.
Laughter at the absurdity of company-speak and anger at the attacks developed into consideration of real communist solutions. Communism became a little more mass.
Red Flag distribution increased modestly. Three more workers took papers to give to coworkers and friends. Old friends showed more enthusiasm about distribution in the plant and to others in the community. This activity helps pave the way to recruiting more members to ICWP.
Our modest communist response contrasted sharply with that of the union. The International Association of Machinists (IAM) ran a front-page article and posted flyers about how they mitigated the attacks. This, too, provoked laughter.
The union tried to spin their collaboration as “bargaining.” This only exposed the futility of trade-union politics. Capitalism attacks workers relentlessly. It’s can’t be reined in by unions.
Only communism can end wage slavery and open the door to new social relationships. Attendance polices, profit-driven factories and bosses, and useless unions will become relics of the past. Comradely, collective communist relationships are the future!
Union Contract Okays Pay Cut for Alaska Airlines Workers
WASHINGTON STATE, USA — As Boeing workers debated the new attendance policy, another IAM local worked out a deal with Alaska Airlines to cut wages.
The city of SeaTac, WA (USA), home of an international airport, recently passed a $15/hour minimum-wage law. Before that, Alaska had outsourced baggage handling and other support staff jobs. The airline was forced to up the pay of these workers to the minimum.
In exchange for insourcing these jobs, the IAM agreed that these workers would get paid a little over $10/hour. All the workers would now be IAM members. Union agreements supersede the minimum wage requirements.
“All they care about is dues-paying members,” said a disgusted Boeing worker. He used to be active in the union, but no more.
Union officials tried to spin this treachery as “bargaining.” Workers aren’t having it! Unions and laws are no match for capitalism’s insatiable drive for profits. Joining the ICWP to build for communist revolution is the only answer.
In communism, money and wages will become relics of the past. There will be no need to bargain over minimum wages. There will be no need for wages at all. We’ll work collectively to provide for our collective needs.
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