--- Sponsor's Message -------------------------------------- Can't find your pictures? You should use FlipAlbum! Simply select a folder and FlipAlbum will create a page flipping album complete with thumbnails and index! Try it out now! -> http://click.topica.com/aaaafubz8SnrbAjwjxa/www.softflip.com/c/?x=topica_1 ------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIAL ISSUE ON GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP OF LABOR UNIONS __________________________________________________________________________ The Internet Anti-Fascist: Sunday, 26 Mar 2000 Vol. 4, Number 26 (#407) __________________________________________________________________________ The protest, included below, by the Engineers Local 17 is a breath of fresh air for a labor movement that has too often refused to fight for its rights. Some readers write asking why this journal has its specific labor focus. Their questions are understandable, given the relative silence of the unions in this area. For labor organizations were among the first groups targeted by the fascists. Organized labor today is the most targeted of all groups originally attacked by the Nazis, while simultaneously the group that least responds in an organized manner. Attacks on labor unions, if they were directed in identical form against Black or Jewish leaders and organizations, would be clearly labeled derogatory and produce an immediate public outcry. They do not. Labor may not be responsible for the attacks but its past inactions are directly linked to the absent protests. Traditionally marginalized groups like the gay community have formed special civil rights organizations, witnessed by the latest protests against "Dr. Laura's" homophobic outbursts. Black people, women, and even Arab-Americans have formed similar groups; labor has not. The attacks on labor will continue to go unanswered in many politically- meaningful ways until this lack is rectified. This is especially important in this period when the court injunction is again becoming a popular way to defeat labor organizing. In this sense, the leaders and members of the Engineers are to be commended for launching their net-wide protest, documented below. - - - - - Norm Maleng District Attorney King County, Washington <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear District Attorney, It has recently come to our attention that your office has filed for an injunction to block members and supporters of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 17, AFL-CIO from attending public hearings on matters of public interest. Moreover, we have also been informed that your office sought an additional order to prevent members of the union from speaking and protesting certain pending public actions. We believe that these are attempts to stifle free expression by citizens and especially the rights of labor to organize. Moreover, in the era of the internet, it reveals more than contempt for the constitutional rights of citizens: it reveals the stupidity of people seeking such injunctions. Any attempt to stifle the voice of Local 17 will result in the union's voice reaching even more people. Numerous pro-labor and civil liberties groups on the net will immediately establish web sites in sympathy with the union's message your office sought to eliminate. The union's message will be broadcast through all manner of net-based newsletters and news groups. Any local injunction by a Washington state judge will have no power over the union's supporters anywhere else in the U.S. And any federal injunction would have no power over forces outside the country. On the net, web sites at the far ends of the earth are as close as the web site next door. We hope that your office abandons all attempts to limit the number of citizens who hear Local 17's message. For if it does not, the message will go out further and wider than it did before you office sought to limit the union's rights. Tradition maintains that the violation of rights originates with the citizens and is stopped by the Prosecutor, not the other way around. Sincerely, Paul Kneisel Editor: The Internet Anti-Fascist - - - - - Prosecutor Abuses Power to Silence Union International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 17, AFL-CIO (press release) 25 Mar 00 Washington State Labor Community Waits To See If Deputy County Prosecutor Will Be Held Accountable For Abuse Of Power Faced with global criticism of the union-busting tactics employed by the King County Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES), King County recently filed two motions with the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) seeking to bar the media and public from an unfair labor practice hearing and also seeking a gag order to prevent the union from publicizing the county's abuses. The first motion was aimed at keeping members of the media and public from attending the hearing. King County Deputy Prosecutor Diane Hess-Taylor was upset that a KIROTV news team and a group of protesters (not affiliated with the union) attended an earlier stage of the hearing. She filed a motion seeking to exclude "certain" members of the public and media from attending the full hearing on March 30 and 31. That motion was denied on March 13 as beyond the authority of PERC and an unconstitutional prior restraint on free speech and expression (King County, Decision 6994 PECB 2000). "I never understood where Ms. Taylor thought she had the authority to hide this matter from public scrutiny" said Ray Goforth, Union Representative for the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 17. Unless the litigation involves children or rape victims, the law is quite clear: The people have the right to know what is being done in their name. Local 17 is the union prosecuting King County for unfair labor practices. The second motion filed by Prosecutor Diane Taylor was for a gag order on IFPTE Local 17 itself. King County complained that Local 17 was publicizing its charges against the County and asking its union members and supporters to e-mail King County Executive Ron Sims about the illegal actions. The King County Executive office reportedly received more than 2,000 e-mails from Local 17 members, other unions and human rights groups from around the world. "The attempted gag order showed an arrogance and contempt for the democratic process not seen before from the King County Prosecutor's Office," said Goforth. Petitioning public officials for redress of grievances is at the heart of protected free speech. This gag order had zero chance of actually being granted. Its sole purpose was to harass and intimidate the Union. The very act of seeking the gag order constituted an Unfair Labor Practice. The labor community in Washington state is waiting to see if Ms. Hess-Taylor will be held accountable for this abuse of power. The King County Coalition of Unions (composed of all the labor unions which represent King County employees) sent a letter to King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng asking for a formal repudiation of the attempted gag order. After the deluge of global criticism for their attempt to censor Local 17, Deputy Prosecutor Diane Hess-Taylor withdrew her motion for the gag order without comment on February 25. "King County must cease its harassment of our union activists and hold those who committed these abuses accountable," Goforth concluded. * * * * * (IFPTE Local 17 is made up of 7,500 professional, technical and administrative employees who serve the citizens of Washington at the Washington State Departments of Transportation, Licensing, and Health, the Washington State Patrol, Clark, King, Pierce and Spokane County, the cities of Seattle and Tacoma and health departments in Benton, Franklin, King, Kitsap, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom and Yakima Counties. Local 17 is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.) Those wishing to support the union can send polite e-mails to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> asking that he repudiate the attempted censorship. Please bcc or cc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on your e-mail. * * * * * In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. __________________________________________________________________________ FASCISM: We have no ethical right to forgive, no historical right to forget. (No permission required for noncommercial reproduction) - - - - - back issues archived via: <ftp://ftp.nyct.net/pub/users/tallpaul/publish/tinaf/> _________________________________________________________ Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15
