As the US-Israeli war against Iran rages on with the support of the European imperialist powers and the United Nations, opposition is building in the working class throughout the United States. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site have been speaking with different sections of workers to give voice to this widespread anti-war sentiment.

In New York City, a WSWS team recently spoke with postal and UPS workers about the war and its connections to attacks on the working class at home. The perspective—“War abroad, mass layoffs in the US: The working class must stop the assault on Iran”—was distributed, along with an announcement for the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and Socialist Equality Party’s upcoming public meeting in New York, “Stop the US-Israeli War Against Iran!” on Saturday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. at The Center (Room 202, 208 West 13th Street, New York, NY).

The perspective begins, “While the criminal war against Iran rages in the Middle East, a parallel war is being waged by the American ruling class at home. The United States economy shed 92,000 jobs in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday, as the unemployment rate stands at 4.4 percent.” This jobs bloodbath includes UPS, which has announced a plan to layoff an additional 30,000 jobs this year after eliminating 48,000 positions last year.

UPS and postal workers were eager to discuss these topics.

A UPS driver of seven years at the 43rd Street hub in Manhattan commented, “Their reasons to drag us into another war are BS—fighting someone else’s wars with our children. And obviously it also plays a part of driving the costs up of daily everyday needs, and more precisely, oil. So it just screws everything up for everybody, even on the other side of the planet in which we are, far from the conflict. I completely disagree with it.

“We’re hearing now that kids were bombed—a school, with 170 children or something. And it turns out that it was us who did that, which is insane. I’m not for it whatsoever. We’re not at all. We just want to live peaceful lives.

“Going in there and bombing the whole thing, I don’t think that is a solution. They were probably all lying to us to try to get us into more war. We know it happened in Iraq and Afghanistan decades ago. I think the same thing is happening here and they’re just making up excuses to get in that territory.”

Asked if he supports an anti-war movement in the working class, he agreed. “I do support a third party, someone independent that’s not Republican or Democrat because as you can see over the years, it just doesn’t work for any of us. All they do is protect their own special interests. They’re all covering each other’s backs when it comes to this sexual abuse case which is rocking all the establishment.”

Attacks on the working class in the US and mass layoffs were also discussed, including the elimination of shifts at the UPS 43rd Street hub.

“From what I can see, the midnight shift has already been eliminated. The same guys I’ve seen when I come into the building, they’re no longer there, and this has been for months already. The clerk position during the twilight shift has completely gone. I’m not sure if it’s going on in other buildings.

“It’s 100 percent because of automation, the inclusion of AI into our everyday lives to save the company money. That’s what it all comes down to: corporate greed. While we’re struggling to survive, you know? It’s all about money and them keeping as much money as it possible.

“All we heard from the Teamsters is big talk. In 2023, they did win us over with precisely that big talk, about the company adding thousands of new workers, which is why we voted for the contract. But I guess you can say two years later, they haven’t lived up to the expectations or any promises that they said that they would.”

Meanwhile, UPS is offering drivers a buyout as part of its recent announcement to cut 30,000 jobs this year. “The company came with a second insulting buyout offer—$150,000 to say goodbye to this job. The first offer was just a slap in the face. This one is two slaps in the face, which is basically a year’s worth of work that they’re willing to pay you out. But many of us still have 20 years left to go. So in living in New York City specifically, where the cost of living is crazy high, the rent is crazy high, that’s just not going to support us whatsoever. What they’re offering us will only cover the next two years, and many of us have 15, 20 years left.”

Another UPS worker commenting on the war stated, “I’m opposed to it. I’ve got a son over there on active duty. I was able to speak with him recently thankfully, and they don’t even know what their assignment is. It’s crazy.”

A postal worker at the Morgan Processing Facility explained, “The Iran war didn’t need to happen. It was selected. Look at the gas prices now. I don’t see any end plan, which means more people are going to die. They are talking about troops on the ground and a draft. That is when they are comparing Trump to Hitler. Iran is not bending down.

“He shouldn’t be in office. Nobody is stopping him. We don’t want this war, but the Democrats are not doing anything. I felt like Mamdani just got in there and could do some good, but I didn’t know how he appeared with Trump as Trump launched the war.”

One postal worker denounced the role of the United Nations, “I don’t think the UN vote was fair. It was the US and Israel that started the war.” Another worker commented, “All the parties and the press are for the war, but we are not. It’s criminal and about the production of energy. We need to stop it.”

An APWU (American Postal Workers Union) clerk pointed to the colonial model of the war. “It’s crazy. I am against bombing and killing 170 girls in a girls’ school. It is not just Trump trying to cover up his Epstein connections. They want the oil and control. America wants to take resources. The working class disagrees. Gas prices will go up. Taxes will go up, and the working class pays. The working class should oppose this.”

A young Morgan worker stopped for a discussion on the war and the call for a general strike. “I know postal workers want to stop the war. I can’t believe they would bomb the girls’ school.” She added, “I am so scared of the draft.”

The recent death of a postal worker during her shift at Morgan was also raised. “I know about Lucy Diaz, who died by herself on the APPS machine. I believe they are starting CPR training now, and they are talking about having a buddy system where no one is alone anymore.”

A city letter carrier at Farley Post Office in Manhattan with just over a year on the job strongly condemned the war in Iran. “I don’t support it, and I don’t believe in war. We don’t know how many will be killed in this war, but the 1,300 killed in Iran already is more than I expected.

“It’s a criminal war. The whole purpose Trump is there is for oil. It’s what benefits him and his friends. But it’s for the whole government. If it was just Trump, somebody else would have stopped it. Regardless what side it is, Republicans or Democrats, it’s the same. I was in support of Mamdani until his friendly appearance with Trump just as the war was started.

“Even with the protests, nothing is changing and Trump is still going through with everything. To be honest, I don’t see things changing through legal avenues. I say we get rid of all the people at the top by any way necessary. I don’t stand for any of these political leaders or representatives because all they care about is self-interest.

“I did hear about the calls for a general strike in Minneapolis. Everyone should come together and shut it down. When the working class stops, everything shuts down.”

Workers in the New York City area who oppose the US-Israeli war against Iran and the drive toward dictatorship at home should make plans to attend the IYSSE’s public meeting on Saturday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. ET at The Center to discuss what is driving the war, what the next stage of escalation could mean and the socialist political program on which opposition must be based.