News

What’s good for Boeing workers is good for the public

Published

3 hours ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

What’s good for Boeing workers is good for the public

This story originally appeared in Jacobin on Sep. 18, 2024. It is shared here with permission.

On Friday, some 33,000 Boeing workers went on strike after voting down a tentative agreement (TA) reached on September 8 between their negotiating committee and the airplane manufacturing giant. The strike by the workers — members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), most of whom work at the company’s gigantic Everett, Washington, plant, the largest manufacturing building in the world — is now the largest active work stoppage in the United States. It’s the first strike at Boeing since 2008.

Boeing CEO Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, installed earlier this year after the company suffered yet another publicity nightmare when the cabin panel of a 737 MAX 9 came off midflight in January — not to mention the highly suspicious deaths of two whistleblowers at the company — practically begged the workers not to strike, stating that the walkout puts Boeing’s “recovery in jeopardy.”

“We encourage them to negotiate in good faith — toward an agreement that gives employees the benefits they deserve and makes the company stronger,” White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said on Friday. Negotiations resumed on Tuesday, with a federal mediator present at the bargaining table.

Boeing machinists’ average pay has risen 15 percent over the past decade to $75,000. For workers faced with the soaring cost of housing in the Seattle area, that’s a far cry from the family-sustaining wage enjoyed by prior generations at the plant.

“Boeing is saying they are in a tough spot recovering yet their executive salaries haven’t changed,” a Boeing mechanic told the Guardian. “It is much deeper than pay and benefits. It is Boeing’s culture. We are a family here in my shop.”

Indeed, despite mounting debt, Boeing does not lack for money when it comes to executive pay: Ortberg stands to make $22 million next year, while his predecessor Dave Calhoun got a 45 percent raise in 2023; the company has spent some $68 billion on stock buybacks and dividends since 2010.

“This is about addressing the past, and this is about fighting for our future,” IAM District 751 president Jon Holden said in announcing the vote to strike, which saw 96 percent of ballots in favor of a strike. The TA was voted down by 94 percent.

The striking workers at Boeing want higher wages and stronger benefits — the TA they voted down included a 25 percent wage increase over the course of the four-year contract, compared to the 40 percent sought by the union, as well as the reinstatement of robust pensions given up in 2014. But worker power and product safety are intimately related at Boeing. The twin crashes of Boeing’s 737 MAX 8 airliners in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people, are very recent history, and the January malfunction suggests continued reason for concern. (Former CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who was ousted following the crashes, left with a golden parachute of $62 million.)

Would you rather fly on a plane built by people who take pride in their work and have long tenure at their post, or by harried workers, exhausted from overtime or a second job?

The company’s nonunion workforce has ballooned since the company began shifting production in 2009 to North Charleston, South Carolina, where it now produces the 787 Dreamliner jet. The move south was a way of undercutting the unionized workforce on the West Coast, who had just gone on strike — a blatant enough act of union busting that the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the company, alleging that the move had been taken to avoid labor unrest and was “inherently destructive” of workers’ rights. South Carolina has the lowest unionization rate of any state.

A company shifting production to a nonunion plant is worthy of criticism in itself; it’s undercutting workers’ wages, working conditions, and rights to collectively bargain. But at Boeing, it also poses enormous risks.

The manufacturer’s high wages and strong benefits in Washington ensured skilled workers remained at their posts for decades, accumulating expertise and experience that is critical in the production of airplanes. When higher-ups tried to cut corners to boost the bottom line, these workers could at least try to intervene to save lives. Workers with little experience and even less job security are far less equipped to do the same.

Take William Hobek, a quality manager at the South Carolina plant. Hobek filed suit in a federal court claiming that he’d been fired after reporting defects up the chain of command. As Peter Robison writes in Flying Blind: The 737 MAX Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing, a supervisor told Hobek, “Bill, you know we can’t find all defects.” Writes Robison, “Hobek called over an inspector, who quickly found forty problems. Other employees describe defective manufacturing, debris left on planes — wrenches, metal silvers, even a ladder — and pressure not to come clean about it.” It’s one of several cases of workers alleging that they were pressured not to report faulty production.

That is what Boeing wants airplane production to look like. Perhaps more than any other major employer, they have proven themselves incapable of being trusted by the public and workers alike. The unionized workers in Washington may be striking for higher wages and benefits, but their victory will be a win for the public, both in the United States and around the world.

Would you rather fly on a plane built by people who take pride in their work and have long tenure at their post, or by harried workers, exhausted from overtime or a second job, green, with the most experienced among them having quit as soon as they could? We need workers who know when Boeing’s next cost-cutting measure will endanger the rest of us, and the only ones who have the proven experience to do so are currently on the picket line.

Source link

News

‘Labour U-turn on freebies’ and ‘Fayed was a monster’

Published

16 mins ago

September 21, 2024

NewsAdmin

'Labour U-turn on freebies' and 'Fayed was a monster'

Leading several of the papers on Saturday is the latest in the Labour donations saga. The Times reports the prime minister has “bowed to pressure from senior colleagues” and neither he nor his “top team” will accept donations for clothes going forward. It says Starmer’s allies “admitted… there was a perception issue” after accepting donations from a Labour donor.

The Times headline reads: Labour U-turn on freebies — Leading several of the papers on Saturday is the latest in the Labour donations saga. The Times reports the prime minister has “bowed to pressure from senior colleagues” and neither he nor his “top team” will accept donations for clothes going forward. It says Starmer’s allies “admitted… there was a perception issue” after accepting donations from a Labour donor.

The Daily Telegraph also leads on the donations, reporting Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she too accepted money for clothes from the widow of a Labour donor. The paper says the “backlash over gifts from donors threatens to overshadow the Labour Party conference this weekend”.

The Daily Telegraph headline reads: I took free clothes too, admits Chancellor — The Daily Telegraph also leads on the donations, reporting Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she too accepted money for clothes from the widow of a Labour donor. The paper says the “backlash over gifts from donors threatens to overshadow the Labour Party conference this weekend”.

The Sun’s top story covers the rape allegations against late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed. Reflecting comments from his accusers’ lawyers, it writes that Fayed “combined the worst of Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.

The Sun headline reads: Fayed was like Savile, Epstein and Weinstein — The Sun’s top story covers the rape allegations against late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed. Reflecting comments from his accusers’ lawyers, it writes that Fayed “combined the worst of Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.

The Fayed story is also the lead story in the Daily Mirror, which similarly reports the lawyers’ comments and that Fayed was “branded a monster”.

The Mirror headline reads: Al Fayed was a monster — The Fayed story is also the lead story in the Daily Mirror, which similarly reports the lawyers’ comments and that Fayed was “branded a monster”.

A paparazzi photo of the prime minister’s chief of staff speaking to a senior staffer leads the Daily Mail, with the paper branding the conversation as “heated”. The image accompanies a report into the donations saga, as well as a report that Starmer’s popularity is in “freefall” after the row.

The Daily Mail headline reads: Starmer hit by calamity poll — A paparazzi photo of the prime minister’s chief of staff speaking to a senior staffer leads the Daily Mail, with the paper branding the conversation as “heated”. The image accompanies a report into the donations saga, as well as a report that Starmer’s popularity is in “freefall” after the row.

Politics also dominates the i’s Saturday edition, covering post-Brexit negotiations between the UK and EU. It says the “EU will demand easier access to the UK” for young people “in return for easing trade restrictions and creating a security pact”.

The i headline reads: EU reveals the price of Starmer's softer Brexit: new migration deal for under 30s in Europe and UK — Politics also dominates the i’s Saturday edition, covering post-Brexit negotiations between the UK and EU. It says the “EU will demand easier access to the UK” for young people “in return for easing trade restrictions and creating a security pact”.

Leading the Financial Times is a report into public debt. It reports that “fiscal gloom intensified” after public debt “hit 100% of GDP for the first time since the 1960s”. It says this fuels expectations of “painful tax rises and spending cuts” in next month’s Budget.

The Financial Times headline reads: Debt overshoot deepens fiscal gloom — Leading the Financial Times is a report into public debt. It reports that “fiscal gloom intensified” after public debt “hit 100% of GDP for the first time since the 1960s”. It says this fuels expectations of “painful tax rises and spending cuts” in next month’s Budget.

The rollback of winter fuel payments leads the Daily Express. It says campaigners have warned that some older people will be “begging in the cold” as a result of the payments being axed for millions.

The Daily Express headline reads: Heartless! 86% of poorest pensioners will lose fuel help — The rollback of winter fuel payments leads the Daily Express. It says campaigners have warned that some older people will be “begging in the cold” as a result of the payments being axed for millions.

The Daily Star details the story of a brain surgeon who tells the paper he experienced heaven while in a coma and that it “smells a bit like a KFC restaurant”. Keir Starmer, who the paper features in relation to Friday’s revelation that he would no longer accept donations for clothing, has been photoshopped poking his head out of the Colonel’s bucket.

The Daily Star headline reads: I died and went to heaven... it smells of fried chicken — The Daily Star details the story of a brain surgeon who tells the paper he experienced heaven while in a coma and that it “smells a bit like a KFC restaurant”. Keir Starmer, who the paper features in relation to Friday’s revelation that he would no longer accept donations for clothing, has been photoshopped poking his head out of the Colonel’s bucket.

Source link

Business

Harrods accused of ‘failure’ of responsibility over Al Fayed allegations

Published

22 mins ago

September 21, 2024

NewsAdmin

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Harrods was accused of a “systematic failure of corporate responsibility” by a lawyer representing alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed, following a slew of claims of sexual assault against the late former owner of the London department store, including rape.

Dean Armstrong KC, representing some of the alleged victims, said in a press conference in London on Friday: “This is and was a systematic failure of corporate responsibility and that systematic failure is on the shoulders of Harrods.

“We are not going to get into a situation where there is any room for anyone to seek to avoid responsibility,” he added, “so we pursue Harrods and we focus on Harrods at this stage because of the collective responsibility.”

His comments came after the BBC broadcast the allegations against Al Fayed in a documentary and podcast about the businessman, who died last year aged 94. His son Dodi was killed alongside Diana, Princess of Wales, in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Harrods chairman Mohamed Al Fayed — Mohammed Al Fayed, who died last year, owned Harrods between 1985 and 2010 © Paul Hackett/Reuters

More than 20 women alleged to the BBC that they had been sexually assaulted by the billionaire, with five alleging they had been raped. The women, who worked at Harrods from the late 1980s to the 2000s, said the alleged assaults were carried out at the company’s offices, in Al Fayed’s London apartment or on trips abroad. In the exposé, the BBC claimed that Harrods failed to intervene and also helped cover up allegations against Al Fayed.

Al Fayed owned and controlled Harrods between 1985 and 2010, when he sold it to a Qatari sovereign wealth fund for a reported £1.5bn.

Armstrong, who is part of the legal team retained by a number of alleged victims alongside US lawyer and women’s advocate Gloria Allred and barrister Maria Mulla, added that any prospective legal proceedings were not about financial compensation but about “much, much more”.

“If Harrods feel that they ought to compensate women financially for what they’ve done and how they failed them, then, of course, that is something which we would welcome. But we are not going to sit here and accept any suggestion that we are only interested in money,” he said.

On Thursday law firm Leigh Day, which is representing an individual alleged to have been subjected to trafficking, rape and abuse by Al Fayed, said it was also looking at possible claims, including against Harrods. The firm is working with US law firm Motley Rice. Harrods said it would not comment on individual claims.

The retailer said on Friday it had accepted “vicarious liability for the conduct of Al Fayed” in order to settle claims that had been brought to Harrods’ attention since 2023, adding it “has reached settlements with the vast majority of people” who approached it.

Harrods declined to comment on the amount paid to women who alleged sexual misconduct, and said no claims were outstanding at the time of the documentary airing.

“Harrods has received new enquiries since the broadcast which we will deal with swiftly and carefully,” the company added, saying “there were no [non-disclosure agreements] attached to these settlements” and it would not seek to enforce “any NDAs that relate to alleged sexual abuse by Al Fayed that were entered into during the period of his ownership”.

In a statement on its website in response to the documentary, which aired on Thursday, the group said it was “utterly appalled” by the allegations. The company added that “during this time his victims were failed and for this we sincerely apologise”.

“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.”

Harrods said it was “a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010”.

Meanwhile, London football club Fulham FC, owned by Al Fayed from 1997 until 2013, said it had been deeply troubled and concerned by the reports in the documentary.

“We have sincere empathy for the women who have shared their experiences,” the club said. “We are in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is, or has been, affected.”

Mulla was quoted by the BBC as saying the legal team were not representing any women in connection with Fulham. “But our investigations are obviously ongoing into all these entities that he had an involvement in.”

Source link

News

US soldier who fled to North Korea sentenced for desertion

Published

36 mins ago

September 21, 2024

NewsAdmin

US soldier who fled to North Korea sentenced for desertion

Travis King, the US soldier who fled from South to North Korea last year before being returned home, has been sentenced to one year of confinement on charges including desertion and assault of a non-commissioned officer.

But with time already served and credit for good behaviour, the 24-year-old Army private walked free, his legal team told the BBC.

At Friday’s hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, he pleaded guilty to five of the original 14 military charges that had been filed against him. The other charges were dismissed.

He was questioned by the military judge about his decision to flee across the border into North Korea in July 2023. King joined the army in January 2021 and was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation when he crossed into North Korea.

At his hearing on Friday, King told military judge Lt Col Rick Mathew that he had decided to flee the US Army because he was “dissatisfied” with work and had been thinking about leaving for about a year before he bolted into North Korea.

“I wanted to desert from the US Army and never come back,” King said, according to reporters inside the courtroom.

He also said he had been diagnosed with mental health conditions, though he maintained he was fit to stand trial and understood the charges.

King illegally crossed into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the village of Panmunjom, located on the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

Source link

Business

FT Crossword: Number 17,848

Published

52 mins ago

September 21, 2024

NewsAdmin

FT Crossword: Number 17,848

Source link

News

UK commandos ‘ready to airlift Brits out of Lebanon’ as Israeli troops ‘poised to pour over border’ after Beirut strikes

Published

58 mins ago

September 21, 2024

NewsAdmin

UK commandos 'ready to airlift Brits out of Lebanon' as Israeli troops 'poised to pour over border' after Beirut strikes

BRITISH commandos are on standby ready to airlift civilians from Lebanon if ratcheting tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate to full-blown war.

The military has been placed on high alert to launch an emergency evacuation with two ships also on standby in the region.

British Royal Navy helicopters evacuate Brits from Beirut in July 2006 during an Israeli military offensiveCredit: AFP

The site of an Israeli strike in southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday

People stand on wrecked cars in Beirut, Lebanon, after an Israeli airstrike

Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Brits to leave Lebanon immediately this week

A defence source told The Telegraph the British government “stands prepared” to pull Brits to safety if the situation explodes.

Foreign secretary David Lammy outlined the preparations in an emergency Cobra meeting.

He yesterday warned Brits living in Lebanon to leave immediately while “commercial options remain”.

Officials are also planning to rent aircraft which could be used to carry out the emergency plans.

The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the country since October last year – when war between Hamas and Israel exploded in Gaza.

In the year since, conflict between Israel and Hezbollah – Hamas’ Iran-backed ally in Lebanon – has spiralled, culminating in massive airstrikes and unprecedented deadly cyber attacks this week.

Now the Israeli military is poised to invade Lebanon – with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushing for all-out war.

Some British nationals in Lebanon have decided to remain there – including an unnamed charity worker who said he felt he could not abandon his colleagues.

He said: “I felt it would somehow be wrong to cut and run at the first moment when things go wrong.”

Several international airlines including Delta, AirFrance and Lufthansa have axed flights to Beirut amid the chaos.

Israel launched a double-tap hack in Lebanon, detonating Hezbollah pagers, walkie-talkies and other electronic devices earlier this week.

Some 37 people were killed and 3,600 injured in the fatal explosions, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

On Thursday the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) unleashed airstrikes over Lebanon itself, before Hezbollah launched at least 140 rockets back in a revenge strike on Friday.

The IDF responded with more strikes on Beirut, killing at least nine and wounding 60 more – and taking out Hezbollah second-in-command Ibrahim Aqil in the process.

Some 10 other senior chiefs from the terror group were killed alongside Aqil, Israel said.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire across the border almost daily in parallel with the war in Gaza.

Hezbollah has reportedly killed 26 civilians and 20 soldiers and forced another 80,000 Israelis to head south to escape the blitz.

Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to return the evacuated Israelis “securely to their homes”.

The UN has previously said over 90,000 people in Lebanon have been forced from their homes, with some 100 civilians killed by Israeli strikes.

The US, UK, UN and other Western country have urged calm and restraint from all parties amid fears of an all-out war.

Hezbollah, an ally of terror group Hamas, has said it is attacking Israel in support of them and won’t stop until the war in Gaza ends.

Israel has vowed to continue fighting in the Strip until Hamas is destroyed and its hostages are returned home.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary has chaired a meeting of Cobra this morning on the latest situation in Lebanon and to discuss ongoing preparedness work, with the risk of escalation remaining high.

“The safety of British nationals is our number one priority which is why we’re continuing to advise people to leave Lebanon now while commercial routes remain available.”

The US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Jordan, and Turkey have also warned their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.