Issued 7/13/04 11:45 p.m. PDT
For immediate release:
Contact: Michael Eisenscher, U.S. Labor Against the War
510-693-7314
Largest State Federation of Labor in U.S. Calls for "Immediate" End to
U.S. Occupation of Iraq
San Diego, CA: On Tuesday, July 13th at its 25th biennial convention,
the California Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, representing more than two
million members, voted overwhelmingly to call upon the AFL-CIO to
"demand an immediate end to the US occupation of Iraq, and to support
the repeal of the Patriot Act and the reordering of national priorities
toward the human needs of our people." The California federation is the
largest in the AFL-CIO, with more than one-sixth of its members.
The action was inspired by a strong antiwar resolution submitted by the
San Francisco Labor Council, but as reported by the resolutions
committee to the convention, it called only for an "expedient" end to
the occupation. When debate opened, State Labor Federation Vice
President Nancy Wohlforth (who is also national Secretary-Treasurer of
the Office & Professional Employees International Union and national
leader of Pride at Work), proposed to restore the original demand for
"immediate" end to the occupation. Her motion was seconded by Walter
Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Labor Council. On a
voice vote by the more than 400 delegates, an overwhelming majority
voted in favor of the stronger demand. The strength of that vote
appears to reflect the depth of anger which union members have toward
the Bush administration's "pre-emptive" war and occupation in Iraq where
more than 850 U.S. troops have been killed and more than 5000 have been
wounded since the invasion last year.
A second amendment was then introduced by John Dalrymple, Executive
Director of the Contra Costa County Central Labor Council, and Alan
Benjamin, Executive Board member of OPEIU Local 3 in San Francisco, to
affirm the California Labor Federation's intent to "explore affiliation
with and help actively support and promote U.S. Labor Against the War
(USLAW)...." USLAW is a national network of labor organizations opposed
to U.S. policy in Iraq that has more than 80 affiliated national and
local unions, regional labor bodies, labor antiwar committees, and
allied labor organizations. This amendment was also adopted by an
overwhelming majority, and was followed by an even larger majority vote
for adoption of the resolution as amended.
The California federation also adopted without modification a
resolution demanding transparency and accountability by the AFL-CIO in
its international programs. It urged the AFL-CIO and its Solidarity
Center to "exercise extreme caution in seeking or accepting funding from
the U.S. government, its agencies and any other institutions which it
funds," such as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), for its work
in Iraq or elsewhere. It warned that doing so could "give the
appearance, if not the effect, of making the AFL-CIO appear to be an
agent of the U.S. government and its foreign policies," which, it
warned, "may taint the good reputation of the Federation in the eyes of
the labor movements in other countries and draw into question the
motivation and true independence of the Federation in its international
affairs."
The convention called upon the AFL-CIO "to fully account for what was
done" in Chile, Venezuela and other countries where the AFL-CIO funneled
NED funds to opponents of the elected government. In the case of Chile,
that led to the military coup and overthrow of the democratically
elected government of Salvador Allende in the 1973, which brought to
power the Pinochet dictatorship, and in the case of Venezuela, to the
attempted but unsuccessful overthrow of the government of Hugo Chavez in
2003. It called upon the federation to give a country by country
accounting of its activities and to "renounce any ... tie that could
compromise our authentic credibility and the trust of workers here and
abroad that would make us paid agents of government or of the forces of
corporate economic globalization."
The convention called upon the AFL-CIO to fund its international
programs and activities, whenever possible, with funds generated
directly from its affiliates and their members.
That resolution had been submitted by the central labor councils of San
Francisco, Monterey Bay, the South Bay and Plumbers and Fitters Local
393, in San Jose.
The two-day convention resumes and will conclude on Wednesday.
Issued by U.S. Labor Against the War
1718 M Street, NW, #153
Washington, DC 20036
U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW)
www.uslaboragainstwar.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Bob Muehlenkamp and Gene Bruskin, Co-convenors
Amy Newell, National Organizer
Michael Eisenscher, Organizer & Web Coordinator
Erin McGrath, Administrative Staff
Sam McAfee and Angelina Grab, Radical Fusion - Website Design
