[Dryerase] Teamsters Local 705 denounces war plans

[Asheville Global Report]

Teamsters Local 705 denounces war plans

By Shawn Gaynor

Asheville, North Carolina, Oct. 23 (AGR)— In a reflection of the clearly 
growing sentiment against war on Iraq, the country's second largest 
Teamsters local, based in Chicago, Illinois, denounced Bush’s plans for a 
war on Iraq. The resolution, passed Oct. 20, was brought by handlers from 
the CACH and Jeff St. UPS facilities, and states that “Teamsters local 705 
stands firmly against Bush’s drive for war.”

The resolution was passed at a membership meeting attended by roughly 400 
Teamsters, and was only discussed for about 10 minutes before passing with 
only one member casting a dissenting vote.
“There was not very much discussion on it because there was no dissent,” 
stated Paul Waterhouse, a 705 official, who added that there were many 
Vietnam veterans who had served in the US Army and Marine Corps present at 
the meeting.
The Teamsters, whose transportation industry jobs are tied closely to oil 
prices state in the opening of the resolution: “we value the lives of our 
sons and daughters, of our brothers and sisters more than Bush’s control of 
Middle East oil profits.”

“We have no quarrel with the ordinary working-class men, women, and 
children in Iraq who will suffer the most in any war,” the resolution 
continues.
The measure raises concerns that the cost of the war will take away 
billions of dollar from social spending on schools, hospitals, housing, and 
social security.
In a clause representing the union’s belief about the motives behind the 
proposed war, Local 705 states: “Bush’s drive for war serves as a cover and 
distraction for the sinking economy, corporate corruption, lay-offs, and 
Taft-Hartley [used against the locked out ILWU longshoremen].”

“This is the start of doing anti-war work, not the finish,” said Kieran 
Knutson, a steward at the Jeff St. UPS who co-sponsored the resolution. 
“Union resolutions, by themselves, don’t mean anything unless they are used 
by activists in the workplace to build sentiment and action against the war.”

The 21,000 member union local intends to talk to other Teamsters locals in 
the area about their concerns about a possible war on Iraq.
“We hope this resolution encourages other workers to adopt similar 
resolutions and encourages the growth of anti-war activities in the labor 
movement,” concluded Knutson.
To support Local 705 in its stance contact their office at 312-738-2800