SEATTLE (US)—When a white comrade started working at Boeing in the 1970s, small groups of older Black workers, some of whom did not know him, would invite him to join them when they had conversations in the aisles. Eventually, he found out why.
Area managers were on the prowl for any groups of Black or Latinx workers. The bosses would break up these discussions. They even wrote up disciplinary letters accusing these workers of “misusing company time.” Having white workers in these discussions provided a bit of protection.
Despite decades of corporate “diversity” initiatives since then, racism and sexism are worse than ever. A recent Seattle news headline assured us that “Boeing says racism won’t be tolerated.” To divert blame to “human nature” the reporter asked, “But will it be driven off the shop floor?”
The bosses’ racism, sexism, and xenophobia still infect the workforce. To end these evils, we must change the very nature of work. In communism, people will work for the collective benefit of the masses. It will no longer be a matter of getting a wage to survive.
There Is No Workplace Safety When Sexism and Racism Reign Supreme
Boeing has laid off 30,000 workers over the last two years. The company has started to recall a few workers because of attrition. One (E) used to work in a comrade’s area. Mostly women are in her job title: in particular, Asian women.
E, a regular reader of Red Flag, distributed the party pamphlet advocating communist revolution as the answer to xenophobia. She was an outspoken member of our group that confronted fascist, racist, sexist and Islamophobic ideology, which was vigorously fought over on the shop floor.
When E first worked at Boeing, her job caused her to need three surgeries for carpal tunnel syndrome. She transferred into our area specifically to do a job that would be easier on her wrists.
When E was unfairly dropped from the list of potential recalls, she protested. The company finally relented. But her new assignment was the same kind of job that had injured her before.
“I don’t know why they would put me back in that job unless they want to hurt me again,” E concluded.
This is suspicious to say the least. Soon after party members and friends retired, right-wing managers transferred all fourteen Asians from that work crew.
Bad Apples or Capitalism?
Racism is Boeing’s policy. That’s why their so-called diversity initiative ignores or encourages management attacks on all shop floor workers, especially those against women, and Black, Asian and Latinx workers. “Diversity initiatives” do nothing but perpetuate sexism and racism.
In the past year, Black workers were threatened with nooses in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington factories. The Human Relations (HR) Director even asked a Black HR employee why “Black people get so upset about a noose.”
Boeing, like all capitalists, needs racism and lies about “getting rid of bad apples.” But bad apples can’t be responsible for a century of racist, sexist, and xenophobic practice. The bottom line is that capitalism depends on these systemic evils to divide the working class and produce super-profits.
Communist revolution will eliminate production for profit. In a communist society, our lives will be filled with collective work. All aspects of production, indeed life, will incorporate this cooperative mentality.
For example, work assignments will not be in the hands of vengeful bosses. Indeed, there will be no more bosses! Pay grades will play no part because there will be no pay grades.
Workers’ tasks will be based on the collective needs of our class. ICWP-led work collectives will figure out how to get things done as safely as possible. Communist collectives will share difficult assignments among many workers to avoid injury.
This cooperative lifestyle will make eliminating racism, sexism, and xenophobia possible. It will support the communist political struggle to end these ideologies.
Communists call cooperative work part of the material basis of the society we are organizing for. The material basis of communist society lays the foundation for the advancement of communist ideas.
After talking with E about her case and how other workers experienced similar attacks, a comrade blurted out, “And people wonder why I’m a communist revolutionary!”
“Yup!” E answered. She can see why our comrade joined the ICWP.
When more workers like E join our party, they will bring with them a world of experience that will help us reach the communist revolution we need. We plan to introduce E to more members of our party collective so she will feel comfortable joining the party and introducing others to communism. Her struggle is our struggle. And every struggle opens the door to communist understanding and ICWP growth.
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