----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "emergencyla...@aol.com" <emergencyla...@aol.com>
To: emergencyla...@aol.com
Sent: Fri, January 14, 2011 9:52:15 PM
Subject: UPDATE ON PLANS FOR EMERGENCY LABOR MEETING IN CLEVELAND MARCH 4-5
Dear Sisters and Brothers: The announcement of the Emergency Labor Meeting
being held in Cleveland on March 4-5 has drawn widespread and enthusiastic
support, as evidenced by the more than 50 co-signers/endorsers for the
gathering (see list below). We are writing you now to update you on the
tentative agenda for the meeting and to notify you of a change in the meeting
location. We will begin the meeting on Friday night, March 4, at 7 p.m. with a
panel discussion on the subject: “How Can We Help Mobilize the Labor Movement
to Fight the Attacks Against Working People?” Panelists will be Ken
Riley, President, International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422 (South
Carolina); Russell Bannan, American Federation of Teachers Colorado State
Organizing Director; Gladys McKenzie, Field Representative, American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5 (Minnesota); and David
Newby, President Emeritus, Wisconsin State
AFL-CIO. Questions and comments from the floor will follow the panel’s
presentations. Saturday will focus on four subjects: 1) Attacks against the
labor movement, especially public-sector unions and their members; 2) the fight
for jobs for all;3) ending U.S. wars and occupations and using the trillion
dollars being spent for death and destruction to meet human needs, such as for
jobs, health care and education; and 4) labor and politics. On each of these
subjects, the question will be how most effectively to spur mobilizing the
rank-and-file and our allies to achieve gains for working people and beat back
the attempts to wreck living standards and working conditions. If there is any
principle that brings us together it is that there is no substitute for, or
alternative to, mobilizing the membership if labor is to successfully counter
the vicious attempts to cripple unions. And we need to reemphasize that
whatever the percentage is of workers that
are organized, the unions remain the organized voice of the working class. We
look forward to a free-wheeling discussion and debate on strategy for moving
forward with a wide range of views voiced and everything on the table. We
expect to hear from advocates of such ideas as organizing the unemployed;
popularizing the long-time labor slogan that government must be the employer of
last resort; educating workers in the private sector that it is in their
interest to make common cause with workers in the public sector; making U.S.
foreign policy more of an issue for the labor movement than it has been
heretofore; and opening a frank discussion on alternatives to the disastrous
political course that our labor movement currently appears to be committed
to. We hope to conclude the meeting with a discussion on what we can do
together as we face what will undoubtedly be a stormy future. While it is not
the purpose of the meeting to vote on resolutions,
motions, etc. it may be possible to arrive at a consensus expressing the views
we hold in common regarding how labor can most effectively respond -- and
respond militantly -- to the crisis. The Cleveland meeting on March 4-5 has all
the earmarks of a stimulating, educational, and thought provoking dialogue,
with an emphasis on the actions that can be taken and the unity that must be
built. Please plan to attend and contribute your ideas as part of this process.
A registration form is attached. Please be advised that the site of the meeting
has been changed to Laborers Local 10 located at 3250 Euclid Avenue in
Cleveland , Ohio . We have negotiated reduced rates for sleeping rooms at the
nearby Hyatt Hotel on the Arcade . Details will be provided to those who inform
us that they plan to attend the meeting and would like to avail themselves of
the arrangements that have been worked out with the hotel. By way of reminder,
attendance at the March 4-5
meeting will be by invitation only. We seek to invite trade unionists and
other labor movement leaders who are actively involved in struggles for
workers’ well-being and workers’ rights and in social issues that vitally
affect working people and the larger community. Finally, if you would like to
be added to the list of endorsers of the meeting, please write
to emergencyla...@aol.com and let us know. Be sure to specify how you wish to
be identified. For more information, call us at 216-736-4715. In
solidarity,Donna DewittPresident, South Carolina AFL-CIO For the Organizing
Committee. P.S. If you have already reserved a room at the Crowne Plaza hotel,
please call them as soon as possible at 216-771-7600 to cancel your reservation
so that you won't be
charged. *****************************************************Endorsers To
Date Donna Dewitt, President, South Carolina AFL-CIODavid Newby, President
Emeritus. Wisconsin State AFL-CIO*Jos
Williams, President, Washington Metro Council, AFL-CIOKen Riley, President,
International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1422Karen Lewis,
President, Chicago Teachers Union (AFT) Local 1*Henry Nicholas, President,
National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFSCMEJim
Savage, President, USW Local 10-1Eduardo Quintana, President, International
Association of Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 933*David Poklinkoski,
President and Business Manager, IBEW Local 2304Monadel Herzallah, President,
Arab American Union Members Council – USLAW-affiliateRon Dicks,
International Vice President, International Federation
of Professional and Technical Employees (IFPTE)*Erin McKee,
President, Charleston Central Labor Council*Sonia Ivany, National
Vice-President, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement,
President, New York City, LCLAAAndrea L. Delgado,
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)Dennis Serrette, Education
Director, Communications Workers of America *Tom Leedham, Secretary-Treasurer,
Teamsters Local 206Sal Rosselli, Interim President, National Union of
Healthcare Workers*Gladys McKenzie, Field Representative, AFSCME Council 5 (
Minnesota )*Phil Qualy, Minnesota State Legislative Director, United
Transportation Union *Mark Dudzic, National Coordinator, Labor Campaign for
Single-Payer Health Care*Saladin Muhammad, member of Black Workers For
Justice and Coordinator of UE Local150's International Worker Justice
CampaignJesse Sharkey, Vice President, Chicago Teachers Union (AFT) Local
1*Virginia Robinson, former Treasurer and Reporting Secretary, Cleveland
AFL- CIO; retired member, Steelworkers UnionBill Henning, Vice
President, CWA Local 1180Eduardo Rosario, Grievance Representative, AFSCME
Local 375, New
York City*John Wagner, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Tri-County
Regional Labor Council, AFL-CIO* Jan D. Pierce, retired Vice
President, CWA District OneEd Sadlowski, Staff Representative, Wisconsin
Council 40, AFSCME, AFL-CIO; Member, Local 938Mary Prophet, Co-Chair,
Ca Teachers' Association Peace & Justice Caucus; KPFA Community
Advisory Board; Steering Committee, USLAW*David Riehle, United Transportation
Union Local 650 Vice-Chairman; past local Chairman 1989-2007Chris
Silvera, Secretary-Treasurer, Teamsters Local 808Sandy Eaton, RN; Chair,
National Nurses United Legislative Council*Dr. Peter Rachleff, professor of
history, Macalaster College ; author and researcher on U.S. labor,
immigration and African American historyMary Nichols-Rhodes, LPN, Ohio
coordinator, Progressive Democrats of AmericaDean Gunderson
, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees Region 5 Director and
past local presidentGregory Cendana, Executive Director, Asian Pacific American
Labor Alliance , AFL-CIOBill Fletcher, Jr., Center for Labor
Renewal; BlackCommentator.comJim Lafferty, UAW Legal Service Workers; Director,
National Lawyers Guild Los AngelesDr. Jack Rasmus, Member, American
Federation of Teachers University Council, University of California
Berkley ; Former National 1st Vice President, National Writers Union ,
UAW Local 1981; former local union Vice President and Business
Representative, CWA Local 9415 and SEIU Local 715Alan Benjamin, Executive
Committee, San Francisco Labor Council*; Co- Convenor, Workers Emergency
Recovery CampaignJim Hamilton, State Executive Committee, Missouri AFT*Carolyn
Park, Steward, AFSCME Local 232*Mike Carano, Member Teamsters Union
Local 348, member, State Council, Single-Payer Action Network Ohio
(SPAN Ohio )*Bill Leumer, Former President, International Association of
Machinists Local 565*; Co-Convenor, Workers Emergency Recovery
CampaignRussell Bannan, American Federation of Teachers Colorado State
Organizing Director; LCLAA Denver Metro Communication
Coordinator; Colorado Jobs with Justice Executive Board; Colorado
Young Workers Steering CommitteeBill Onasch, Retired former vice
president, ATU Local 1287*Steve Early, labor journalist, lawyer, and former CWA
International Representative; author of Embedded with Organized
Labor and The Civil Wars in U.S. LaborDan La Botz,, National Writers
Union/UAW*Clarence Thomas. Executive Board, ILWU Local 10Lenny Potash, Co-Chair
Labor United for Universal Healthcare*Fred Hirsch, Executive Board Member,
Plumbers & Fitters
Local 393; Delegate to the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council and to the
Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades
Council*Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT Local 1493, the San Mateo
(CA) Community College Federation of Teachers*Ann Robertson, Executive
Board Member, California Faculty Association – San Francisco State
University - Delegate to San Francisco Labor Council*
Allan Fisher, Executive Board Member, AFT Local 2121 - Delegate to
San Francisco Labor Council*Marc Rich, United Teachers Los Angeles
delegate to Los Angeles County Federation of Labor*Jerry Gordon,
Retired International Representative, United Food and
Commercial Workers Union *; Secretary, Emergency Labor Meeting [* for
id only]
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