[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: > [uslawaffiliates] FLASH!!!: AFL-CIO CALLS FOR END TO OCCUPATION OF IRAQ > From: > "U.S. Labor Against the War" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: > Tue, 26 Jul 2005 14:46:59 -0700 > To: > (Recipient list suppressed) > > To: > (Recipient list suppressed) > > > For immediate release: July 27, 2005, 5:15 p.m. CDT > Please distribute widely! > > AFL-CIO Calls for > Rapid Return of U.S. Troops > > Chicago: In a major change of course, the AFL-CIO Convention delegates > voted this afternoon in favor of a resolution calling for a "rapid" > return of all U.S. troops from Iraq. > > Eighteen AFL-CIO state federations, central labor councils and unions > had submitted resolutions to the convention calling for an immediate > or rapid end to the occupation and return of the troops. The General > Executive Council, meeting on the eve of the convention, submitted a > resolution that borrowed heavily from elements of those eighteen but > failed to clearly call for a prompt end to the occupation. > > When it came time for the convention to act on the resolution Tuesday > afternoon, Fred Mason, President of the Maryland/District of Columbia > AFL-CIO, offered a "friendly" amendment that clarified and > strengthened opposition to continued occupation of Iraq. The > amendment was accepted by the leadership and the modified resolution > was adopted by an overwhelming majority of delegates following a > parade of delegates who spoke in favor of its adoption (none spoke in > opposition). > > (This action occurred after delegates of four unions - SEIU, > Teamsters, UFCW, and UNITE HERE had already departed the convention > after announcing their decision to boycott the proceedings. The SEIU > and Teamsters subsequently also announced their disaffiliation.) > > Rising to speak in favor of the resolution, Henry Nicholas, President > of District 1199 of American Federation of State, County and Municipal > Employees (AFSCME) of Pennsylvania, told the delegates that his son > had been deployed to Iraq four times and was about to be sent again. > He said, "In my forty-five years in the labor movement, this is my > proudest moment in being a union member, because it is the first time > we had the courage to say 'enough is enough.'" > > USLAW Co-Convenor Gene Bruskin observed, "The action taken by this > convention puts the AFL-CIO on record for a rapid end to the Iraq > occupation - a stand squarely in the mainstream of American public > opinion." Polls taken in late June show more than half of the American > people feel the war was a mistake and similarly that it has made the > U.S. less, not more safe. A majority of Americans also say the > administration "intentionally misled" the public in going to war. > > U.S. Labor Against the War had rallied its affiliates and supporters > to press for the AFL-CIO to take an unambiguous stand for an end to > the occupation and return of all U.S. troops. Widespread antiwar and > anti-occupation sentiment among the delegates became even more evident > when USLAW and Pride at Work, the AFL-CIO constituency group for gay, > lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered union members (also affiliated > with USLAW) hosted a reception for Iraqi union leaders attending the > convention as guests. The reception, which took place after the > plenary on Monday, drew more than 150 delegates and guests, including > top officials of a number of unions. > > The convention action comes on the heels of a 26-city U.S. tour by six > Iraqi trade union leaders from three of Iraq's major labor federations > organized by U.S. Labor Against the War in mid-June. The Iraqi union > leaders were unanimous in their call for an immediate end to the U.S. > occupation, describing it as a source of instability, violence and > terrorism in Iraq. (For more about the tour, visit the USLAW website > at www.uslaboragainstwar.org <http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org>.) > > The resolution pays tribute to the troops in Iraq and says, ". . . > they deserve a commitment from our country's leaders to bring them > home rapidly. . . ." It accuses the Bush administration of > misinforming the American people about the reasons for going to war > and about the reality on the ground since it launched the invasion. > It calls for expanded benefits for veterans and protection for workers > affected by military base closings. The resolution also heralds the > courage demonstrated by Iraqi workers and unions. It calls for full > respect for the right of Iraqi workers to freely organize and bargain > in unions of their choice and unconditional cancellation of the > foreign debt and reparations accumulated by Iraq during the Hussein > regime. It pledges continuing solidarity in concert with the > international trade union movement with the workers of Iraq ". . . as > they lead the struggle for an end to the violence and a more just and > democratic nation." > > Adoption of this resolution represents the first time in its 50 year > history that the federation has taken a position squarely in > opposition to a major U.S. foreign policy or military action. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Resolution #53 The War in Iraq > > Submitted by the Executive Council, as amended from the floor and > adopted by the delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention in Chicago, July > 26, 2005 > > The AFL-CIO supports the brave men and women deployed in Iraq, which > include our members in all branches of the armed services. > > Our soldiers--the men and women risking their lives in Iraq--come from > America's working families. They are our sons and daughters, our > sisters and brothers, our husbands and wives. They deserve to be > properly equipped with protective body gear and up-armored vehicles. > And they deserve leadership that fully values their courage and > sacrifice. Most importantly, they deserve a commitment from our > country's leaders to bring them home rapidly. An unending military > presence will waste lives and resources, undermine our nation's > security and weaken our military. > > We have lost more than 1,700 brave Americans in Iraq to date, and > Iraqi civilian casualties are in the thousands. In recent months, the > insurgency increasingly has focused its terror on the Iraqi people, > engaging in a deliberate campaign to frustrate their aspirations to > take control of their own destiny. These aspirations were clearly > demonstrated earlier this year when Iraqis defied widespread > intimidation and escalating violence by turning out in the millions to > elect a new Iraqi interim government tasked with writing a > constitution. The AFL-CIO applauds the courage of the Iraqi people and > unequivocally condemns the use of terror in Iraq and indeed anywhere > in the world. > > No foreign policy can be sustained without the informed consent of the > American people. The American people were misinformed before the war > began and have not been informed about the reality on the ground and > the very difficult challenges that lie ahead. > > It is long past time for the Bush administration to level with the > American people and for Congress to fulfill its constitutionally > mandated oversight responsibilities. The AFL-CIO supports the call > from members of Congress for the establishment of benchmarks in the > key areas of security, governance, reconstruction and > internationalization. > > Since the beginning of the war almost two-and-a-half years ago, the > AFL-CIO has emphasized the support and participation of a broad > coalition of nations and the United Nations is vital to building a > democratic Iraq. Greater security on the ground remains an unmet > precondition for such efforts to succeed. The AFL-CIO calls on the > international community to help the Iraqi people build its capacity to > maintain law and order through a concerted international effort to > train Iraqi security and police forces. > > Future efforts to rebuild the country are hampered by the weight of > the massive foreign debt accumulated under the Saddam Hussein regime. > The AFL-CIO calls for cancellation of Saddam's foreign debt without > any conditions imposed upon the people of Iraq, who suffered under the > regime that was supported by these loans. Further, the AFL-CIO calls > for the cancellation of reparations imposed as a result of wars waged > by Saddam Hussein's regime and the return of all Iraqi property and > antiquities taken during the war and occupation. > > The bedrock of any democracy is a strong, free, democratic labor movement. > > That is true in the United States and Iraq. > > Our returning troops should be afforded all resources and services > available to meet their needs. Our members should return to their > jobs, with seniority and benefits. > > The AFL-CIO calls on Congress and President Bush to expand benefits > for veterans and assist those affected by military base closings, > including a G.I. Bill for returning Iraq veterans and a Veterans > Administration housing program that meets current needs. > > The AFL-CIO supports the efforts of Iraqi workers to form independent > labor unions. In the absence of an adequate labor law, the AFL-CIO > calls on the Iraqi government, as well as domestic and international > companies operating in Iraq, to respect internationally recognized > International Labor Organization standards that call for protecting > the right of workers to organize free from all government and employer > interference and the right to organize and bargain collectively in > both the public and private sectors. These rights must be extended to > include full equality for working women. > > The AFL-CIO condemns the fact that Saddam's decree No. 150 issued in > 1987 that abolished union rights for workers in the extensive Iraqi > public sector has not been repealed. Under current laws, payroll > deductions for union dues are not even permitted. The AFL-CIO calls on > the Iraqi government to place as a top priority the adoption of a new > labor law that conforms to international labor standards to replace > the old anti-worker laws and decrees. > > Despite legal obstacles, Iraq's workers and their institutions are > already leaders in the struggle for democracy. Trade unionists are > being targeted for their activism, and some have paid for their valor > with their lives. The AFL-CIO condemns these brutal acts of intimidation. > > The AFL-CIO has a proud history of solidarity with worker movements > around the world in their opposition to tyranny. In concert with the > international trade union movement, the AFL-CIO will continue to > provide our full solidarity to Iraq's workers as they lead the > struggle for an end to the violence and a more just and democratic nation. > > > > //////// > \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ > > \\\\\\\\ > > U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW) > \\\\\\\\ > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > //////// > www.uslaboragainstwar.org > <http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org>Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} > PMB 153 > 1718 "M" Street, NW > Washington, D.C. 20036 > Messages: 202-521-5265 > {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} > > Co-convenors: Gene Bruskin, Maria Guillen, Fred Mason, > Bob Muehlenkamp, and Nancy Wohlforth > Michael Eisenscher, National Organizer & Website Coordinator > Adrienne Nicosia, Administrative Staff > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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