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The Northwest Strike: the need for a political party of the working people

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Karmadillo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-21-05 08:55 AM
Original message
The Northwest Strike: the need for a political party of the working people
Edited on Sun Aug-21-05 09:03 AM by Karmadillo
Not a bad idea, since the corporations already have two parties.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/aug2005/nwa-a21.shtml

<edit>

The 4,400 workers walked out after rejecting management demands for a 26 percent pay cut, the elimination of more than half of their jobs, higher payments for health insurance and cuts in sick pay. The airline is also demanding a freeze on pensions and the transformation of the plan into a 401(k)-type “defined contribution” plan, which would entail sharp cuts in retirement benefits and make them subject to the vagaries of the stock exchange.

Northwest was able to continue flying despite the strike because of the refusal of the other unions at the airline to support the mechanics. The Air Line Pilots Association and the International Association of Machinists (IAM), which are members of the AFL-CIO union federation, are crossing the mechanics’ picket lines and continuing to work, as are the flight attendants, organized in the independent Professional Flight Attendants Association (PFAA).

<edit>

“When 9/11 happened we had 9,200 mechanics. Now we’re down to just over 4,000 and they want to slash that in half.

“My whole airline career, at least one half to two thirds of the time, I have been working under a pay cut. This airline could shut down tomorrow and the CEOs would still have their millions. This company changes CEOs so often. They leave with millions and we are still here, doing the work. We feel that as soon as they can get rid of us, they will. I’ve just about had enough.” .

<edit>

“A political party of the working people is long overdue. This country needs a strong party that represents workers’ desires and needs. The Democratic Party has not represented us. They haven’t shown me that they’re working for American workers. In a lot of senses, they’re the same as the Republicans.”

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rman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-21-05 08:59 AM
Response to Original message
1. A Party to represent the interests of the majority of the population,
what a radical idea.
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natrat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-21-05 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. 95% thugs 75% dims corrupt
throw it away
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