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This summer, workers, retirees, labour activists, and supporters turned out to show solidarity with local General Electric workers of IUE Local 201 who, along with 14 of GE's unions, were facing tough bargaining with the company over salary, job security, and pension issues. Solidarity rallies were mounted worldwide two days before the June 25 negotiation deadline. The Boston rally, along with the requisite puppets was held in front of the building housing the financial operations of the giant multinational, subsequent to the union-led demonstrations at the plant in Lynn, Massachusetts.

This year, the main issue in national contract negotiations was the pensions of retired personnel that had been substantially scaled back despite a large surplus accumulating in the pension fund. The cuts hit seniors hard and boded ill for future retirement benefits that originally afforded a comfortable standard of living for aging retirees but now would leave many mired in poverty.

Activists joining the workers sought to highlight the many misdeeds of this global corporation including its dismal environmental record, involvement in the defense industry, and role in nuclear power generation. Moreover, Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric has been a pioneer in corporate-led globalization, coining the menacing phrase "putting every factory on a barge". Under his leadership, GE has downsized its US operations, closed whole plants, shifted manufacturing overseas, and forced workers with their backs against the walls to submit to ever larger cutbacks, speed ups, and weaker job security guarantees.

GE's unions, in return, organized internationally, pledging unity at a March conference across all frontiers and sectors. Highlighting the globalization-from-below strategy, workers of the multinational corporations have sought out new alliances to protect their jobs and communities.

After the international solidarity day was observed, IUE, the union representing GE workers nationally, struck a three-year deal with GE with an average paycheck increase of 14% over the length of the contract and an improved cost-of-living adjustment formula.

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