Seattle, WA – At 8 p.m., September 22, at the Boeing 2-122 building, striking machinists held down the round-the-clock picket line.

“We’re asking for more than they’re offering,” said Shane Vanpelt, a Boeing machinist and IAM member. He said that Boeing is “gonna lay everyone off, well, you’re going to have layoffs anyways. We know this because we know Boeing’s history, and if nothing else, they’re predictable. They’re going to lay people off regardless, but that’s not up to us. What’s up to us is trying to get the best deal possible for everyone, so we’ve got no choice but to strike.”

Seattle, WA – At 12:00 a.m. on Friday, September 13, around 33,000 Boeing workers walked off the job and began a strike. The Boeing workers are represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) and were in negotiations with the airplane manufacturing giant for their next union contract. Negotiations broke down and the strike began after 95% of the IAM members at Boeing voted to reject the employer’s proposal for a four-year contract, and 96% voted to begin a strike. This is the first strike at Boeing in 16 years.

Seattle, WA – On Tuesday, September 10, over 100 members of WFSE Local 1488 walked out ahead of their current contract expiring in a few weeks. The union, representing food service, custodial, maintenance and other workers at the University of Washington, has been bargaining since the beginning of June for a strong contract, with university administration stalling.

Seattle, WA – Over 200 people rallied at Westlake Park in Seattle, August 3, to protest the U.S.-backed Zionist genocide in Palestine. August 3 was the International Day of Action for Gaza and Palestinian Detainees, announced by Palestinian resistance leader Ismail Haniyeh before his assassination.

Seattle, WA – Seattle came together Saturday, July 27, at the iconic Cherry Street Village, to discuss the relationship between queer oppression and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian liberation. The auditorium of the historic interfaith community space, which is located in the heart of the Central District, was filled with dozens of people eager to hear from a panel of speakers representing a number of organizations including Falastininyat, Issaquah Student League (ISL), Half the Sky, Samidoun Seattle, Song to Sea, Resist US Lead War and South Asians Resisting Imperialism (SARI).

Seattle, WA – On the afternoon July 25, workers at Homegrown Sustainable Sandwiches held a press conference outside Homegrown/Artisan Premades headquarters to condemn CEO Brad Gillis’ sudden announcement that he intends to close ten of the 12 Homegrown restaurants on September 15, putting over 150 people out of work.

Gillis’ announcement comes just three months after workers, members of Unite Here Local 8, ratified their first union contract, following a militant two year contract campaign. During the event, workers at various Homegrown locations came forward to give statements to the press that had gathered. Many of them expressed devastation, as well as shock, at the closures and how they received the news.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following July 25 statement from Homegrown Workers' Union, who are members of Unite Here Local 8.

The Homegrown Worker’s Union, members of Unite Here Local 8, was notified on July 18, after it leaked in the news, that Homegrown Sustainable Sandwiches plans on closing 10 out of its 12 locations, effective September 15. The company has confirmed that this closure would result in the layoffs of 158 of its employees. We condemn these closures and layoffs in the strongest possible terms. We are enraged and devastated that after over two years of organizing and action to win livable wages and benefits for Homegrown workers, our CEO has chosen this course. Employees, including managers, were notified of this decision via email just 60 days before the proposed date of the closures, the minimum timeline required by Washington State law, and have been given no further information at this time.

Seattle, WA – On May 20, students at the University of Washington in Seattle ended their Palestine solidarity encampment following a protracted struggle that led to an agreement with the university administration. While not a complete win, the agreement marked a real step forward.

On Monday, April 29, students started an encampment. Begun by the Progressive Student Union, a chapter of New Students for a Democratic Society, the encampment had three demands: material and academic divestment from Israel, the cutting of ties with Boeing, and an end to the repression of pro-Palestinian staff, students and faculty.

Seattle, WA – On March 29, United Auto Workers (UAW) 4121 held a rally in the quad of the University of Washington-Seattle campus to demand a strong contract. With over 1000 attendees at the rally, the UAW made clear that they will not abide by UW administration’s attacks on their healthcare, wages and their international workers.

Tacoma, WA – On March 20, approximately 50 people gathered in front of the Northwest Detention Center as part of the 24/7 vigil currently being led by La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity.