This message was submitted today to the AFL-CIO for inclusion in the discussion on the future of the Federation. If you have not signed on yet, you may do so
Open Letter and Appeal
To: President John Sweeney and the General Executive Council of the AFL-CIO
Across the country, local, district, and national unions, labor councils, state labor federations and numerous other labor organizations representing millions of working people have adopted resolutions condemning the war in Iraq, and calling for an end to the occupation and return of all troops to their homes and families. Among these are national unions like SEIU, AFSCME, CWA, APWU, NPMHU/LIUNA, and UE; allied organizations like the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Pride at Work and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; State Labor Federations in California, Maryland/DC, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin; and fifteen or more labor councils across the country.
110 of these organizations have banded together to form U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), a national organization committed to ending the war, returning the troops, restoring funding to social programs and government services, and changing the direction of U.S. foreign policy. (A list of USLAW affiliates is posted at the USLAW website.)
Union members and their family members are being killed, wounded, disabled and psychologically traumatized in a war that has already killed almost 1500 U.S. military personnel, wounded more than 10,500 others, a war in which more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died. This war is siphoning resources from our communities, starving or eliminating essential public services and social programs, eroding our democratic rights, and making our country even less secure.
It is time for labor to speak out! At this time of discussion about renewing our labor movement, how can we not discuss the most urgent issue facing American and its working families? We ask you to put the issue of the war on the agenda of the up-coming Executive Council meeting. And we urge the national leadership of the AFL-CIO to oppose this reckless, illegal and immoral war.
More specifically, we ask for action on the following proposals by the Executive Council and the quadrennial convention of the AFL-CIO.
· The AFL-CIO should demand an immediate end to the US occupation of Iraq and return of U.S. troops to their homes and families, and the reordering of national priorities toward peace and meeting the human needs of our people; and
· Through its community service programs, the AFL-CIO and its state and local affiliates should assist union members and their families who are called upon to serve in the armed forces and returning veterans by identifying and providing information about resources and services available to meet their needs, by advocating for their interests, and by protecting their jobs, seniority and benefits and those of unorganized workers in similar circumstances.
(Also see a model resolution developed by USLAW here.)
Sisters and brothers, this war is draining away precious resources essential to meet human needs of working and poor people. It is undermining our security by alienating the U.S. from the community of nations and by provoking the spread of terrorism. It is weakening rather than reinforcing the rule of international law. It has led to an erosion of our most basic rights and liberties. And it is doing terrible direct harm to many thousands of military families.
We, the American labor movement, should take a stand and speak out on the biggest issue facing working people and the country as a whole. We urge you to join us!
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Initial Signatories as of 2/18/05
U.S. Labor Against the War Co-Convenors:
Gene Bruskin, Maria Guillen, Fred Mason, Bob Muehlenkamp, and Nancy Wohlforth
AFSCME District Council 47, Philadelphia, PA, Thomas Paine Cronin, President
AFSCME Local 1723, District Council 47, Philadelphia, PA Gary Kapanowski, President
AFSCME Local 2858, Chicago, IL, Stephen M Edwards, President
AFSCME Local 2910, Washington, DC, Saul Schniderman, President
AFT California Federation of Teachers, Martin Hittelman, Senior Vice President
AFT Wisconsin Federation of Teachers Executive Board
AFT Local 1493, San Mateo, CA Community College Federation of Teachers, Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary
AFT Local 2334, Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York
AFT Local 4999, PERSA, Madison, WI, Carol Weidel, President
Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace & Justice
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Pennsylvania Federation - Jed Dodd, General Chairman
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division/ International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Kevin Hussey, Vice Chairman & N.J. Legislative Director
Chicago Labor Against the War
Coalition of Labor Union Women, Philadelphia Chapter, Katherine Black, President
CSEA Local 446, Staten Island, New York, Joel Schwartz, President
CWA Local 1180, NY, NY, Bill Henning, Vice President
CWA Local 9423, San Jose, CA, Louie Rocha, President
DC Labor for Peace & Justice
Hawai'i Labor for Peace and Justice, Jason Ward and Stephen Dinion, Coordinators
Mid-Willamette Jobs with Justice, Jim Cook, Chair
Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, Paul Johnston, UCAFT 2199, Secretary-Treasurer
New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, Jerome P. Brown, President
New Jersey Labor Against the War, Carol E. Gay, Chairperson
Office & Professional Employees International Union, Local 3, Bay Area, CA, Conny Ford, President & General Manager
PACE Local 8-675, David W. Campbell
Secretary-Treaurer
SEIU Local 415, Santa Cruz County, CA, Jeffrey Smedberg, President
SEIU Local 535, California, Jerry Fillingim, Legislative/Political Director
SEIU Local 616 Executive Board (Alameda County, CA)
SEIU District 1199P Pennsylvania's Health Care Union, Thomas V. De Bruin, President
SEIU Pennsylvania State Council, Eileen Connelly, Executive Director
South Central Federation of Labor, Wisconsin, Jim Cavanaugh, President
St. Louis Labor Against the War, Joan Suarez and Roosevelt Stewart, Co-Convenors
UAW Local 2110, New York, New York, Maida Rosenstein, President
UAW Local 2334, Detroit MI, David Sole, President
U.A. Plumbers and Fitters Local 393, San Jose, Fred Hirsch, Vice President
United Health Care Workers of Greater St. Louis, Jerry Tucker, Executive Director
Union of Professional Employees, University of Illinois at Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, Mark H. Leff, President for the Executive Board
Vermont State Federation, AFL-CIO, Daniel L. Brush, President
Washington-Orange-Lamoille Labor Council (VT), AFL-CIO, Traven Leyshon, President
Western CT. CLC, Waterbury, CT, Blair F. Bertaccini, President
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, David Newby, President
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Individual Signers
(organization for identification only)
Marilla Arguelles, President, Homecare Chapter SEIU Local 616, Alameda County, CA
Howard C. Anawalt, attorney, former member, Retail Clerks, Seattle
Jeff Bale, member, Tempe Secondary Education Association, Tempe, AZ
Joe T. Berry, Chair, Chicago Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor, and University of Illinois - Chicago Labor Education Program
John Braxton, Co-President, AFT 2026, Delegate,USLAW delegate from Philadelphia Central Labor Council
Warren Brodhead, Vice-President for C.O.P.E./Legislation, American Federation of Teachers/Utah
Elizabeth A. Davis, member, Washington Teachers' Union, AFT Local 6, Washington, DC
Bill Fletcher, Jr., President of TransAfrica Forum
Jacqueline Fralley, DC Labor Chorus, former member, AFSCME & OPEIU, Silver Spring, MD
Ellen David Friedman, member, National Staff Organization-Vermont-NEA
Paul Friedman, Health Professional and Allied Employees - AFT, New Jersey
Andy Griggs, Chair, Human Rights Committee, United Teachers of Los Angeles/AFT Local 1021, and Chair, Civil, Human and Women's Rights Committee, CA Federation of Teachers
Stanley Heller, West Haven Federation of Teachers
Ed Hunt, SEIU Local 925, Seattle, WA
Tom Johnson, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981, Director, Cornell Labor Programs (Buffalo, NY)
Robert Lesko, Vice President, UCATS, Local 3882, AFT, NYSUT, AFL-CIO New York, NY
Michael Laslett, Vice President, SEIU Local 925
Nancy Lessin, member, USWA Local 9358; Co-founder, Military Families Speak Out
Michael Letwin, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW); Former President, UAW Local 2325
Kathy Lipscomb, member, retired, SEIU, United Health Care Workers -West; San Francisco, CA
Michael Madden, Financial Secretary, St. Croix Valley AFL-CIO Central Labor Council
Charles Negendank, member, UCW-CWA Local 3865, Knoxville, TN
Shaun O'Connell, Shop Steward, American Federation of Government Employees Local 1760, AFL-CIO, New York, NY
Peter Olney, Director of Organizing, International Longshore and Warehouse Union, San Francisco, CA
Jeff Perry, Treasurer, Local 300, National Postal Mail Handlers Union (div. of LIUNA)
Rosalind Petchesky, Distinguished Professor, PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Charley Richardson, member, SEIU Local 888; Co-founder, Military Families Speak Out
Sarah Ringler, member, Labor for Peace Justice and Civil Liberties, Santa Cruz, CA and Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1936
Jean Romsted, The Solidarity Singers, New Jersey Industrial Union Council
Eduardo Rosario, member. Graphic Communications International Union, NY, NY
Deborah Rosenstein, member, OPEIU Local 2
Jim Savage -- Chairperson, Grievance & Negotiation Committee, PACE Local 2-1, Philadelphia, PA
Jay Schaffner, Exeuctive Board Member, Local 802, American Federation of Musicians; New York, NY
Karen Schermerhorn, Co-President, AFT Local 2026, Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia
Rodger Scott, Past President, AFT Local 2121, San Francisco, CA
Martha L. Schmidt, Northwest Representative, American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).
Cathy Stoddart Executive Board Member, SEIU District 1199P, Pennsylvania's Health Care Union
Lou Truskoff, former president, Greater Seattle Local, American Postal Workers Union
Helena H. Worthen, Chair, Chicago Chapter, National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981, and University of Illinois - Chicago Labor Education Program
Ferd Wulkan, staff, Mass. Society of Professors (MTA/NEA)
Wendell Young, III, President Emeritus, UFCW Local 1776, Philadelphia. PA
Initiated and Circulated by US Labor Against the War (USLAW)
Staff EMail: <uslaw@igc.org>
Website: US Labor Against the War
