[Imc] [Prairiegreens] FWD: Champaign County Union member on trial for supporting Nader (fwd)

Tue Dec 12 00:58:52 UTC 2000

This is a big story. Lets try to make sure it gets some coverage (if I
wasn't leaving town I'd jump in but unfortunately I can only pass the
info). 

Note: I was initially confused by the beginning of this into thinking
that he was being sued or criminally charged but the situation is that
be is being "charged" in a tribunal within the AFL/CIO organization
which is scary enough in its own right.

> Subject: Union Political Director Charged for Supporting Nader
>    Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 12:58:31 -0600
>    From: Larry Duncan <lduncan at igc.org>
>      To: laborbeat at fs.freespeech.org
> 
> UNION POLITICAL DIRECTOR FACES CHARGES FOR PERSONALLY SUPPORTING NADER
> 
> My name is David Johnson. I am a rank and file member of Carpenter's
> Union 44, in Champaign IL, and for the past three years the
> Vice-President/Political Director of the AFL-CIO of Champaign
> County. In November, 2000, charges were filed against me by a
> Plumber Business Agent of Plumber's union 149 in Savoy IL (Stephen
> Brewer) for supposedly violating my oath of office as Political
> Director. That is, because I publicly expressed support for Ralph
> Nader in the 2000 election, even though I made a disclaimer that
> these were my own personal views, and did not reflect the official
> views of the local, state, or national AFL-CIO.
> 
> The first charge is based on the fact that on October 9th, 2000, I
> attended the official opening of the Green party office in
> Champaign, and was interviewed by a reporter (Phil Bloomer) from the
> Champaign-Urbana News Gazette. At the very begining of the interview
> I stated that the views I would express were my own personal views
> and not those of the AFL-CIO.  There were two witnesses present who
> can testify to this fact: Peter Miller, an organizer for the IEA
> Teacher's Union and host of the community radio program,"The Central
> Illinois Labor Hour" (217-367-1336), and Mike Lehmann, the chairman
> of the "Champaign County Living Wage Association"
> (rebelmike at earthlink.net).
> 
> On October 16th, 2000, the Bloomer interview appeared in the News
> Gazette.  My disclaimer statement was not printed, and the article,
> after identifying me and my position, accurately quoted me as
> saying: "Nader has come out in favor of Labor's entire platform,
> including expanded powers for the National Labor Relations Board, a
> ban on the permanent replacement of strikers, and repeal of the
> Taft-Hartley Act." "The Democratic Party has abandoned us on those
> issues" "It's really a pretty easy decision for me."  I contacted
> Bloomer after the article was published and asked him why he did not
> print the disclaimer and he stated that, "I thought I made it
> apparent in the article when I quoted you as saying, 'its really a
> pretty easy decision for me'." Bloomer ended by saying to me that,
> "everyone has a right to a personal opinion, stick to your guns."
>
> On November 5th, I was invited as a guest speaker to a benefit event
> for the Green Party and the Independent Media Center, held at the
> "High Dive" night club in Champaign. One of the local Television
> station's ( CBS affiliate, WCIA) covered the event and broadcasted
> the next morning a film footage segment of me on stage stating my
> support for Nader. I have a video copy of my entire speech
> (compliments of the Independent Media Center.  Contact Person: Sara
> Kanouse <skanouse at usa.net>) in which I state at the very begining:
> "The opinions I am about to express are my personal views, and not
> the views of the AFL-CIO."
>
>  At the following Champaign county AFL-CIO meeting on November 15th,
> the President (Duane Lybarger SEIU Local 73) read the letter sent by
> Stephen Brewer. In the letter Brewer quoted some of my ststements
> supporting Nader as reported in the media and officially asked that
> charges be brought against me for: "violation of my oath of
> office". After the letter was read at the executive board meeting, I
> made a statement in regard to the letter stating that I had in both
> incidences made a disclaimer that these were my own personal views
> and that I had a First Ammendment Right to personal views. I also
> stated that there was no basis to the charges that I had violated my
> oath of office, since I did not misrepresent my views as those of
> the AFL-CIO. Prersident Lybarger stated that, nevertheless,
> according to the constitution and bylaws, a trial has to be held
> whenever charges are filed.
> 
> The trial will be held on January 17th 2001, at the Carpenter's hall
> (402 S. Duncan Rd. Champaign I ) at 5 PM. Mike Griffin, former
> Staley strike leader and editor of the "War Zone" news service from
> Decatur IL, (217-428-6372; MGriffWZEF at aol.com) will represent me at
> the hearing. My attorney will also be present as a witness to the
> proceedings.
> 
> For the last eight years with the Clinton/Gore administration we
> have witnessed their promotion of NAFTA, Fast Track, The WTO, China
> Trade Bill, the cutting of funds to OSHA and the NLRB, and even,
> according to George Stephanopolous in his book "All Too Human",
> wanting to eliminate the Davis-Bacon Act. Many Labor leaders think
> that issues of NAFTA, WTO, etc., will not affect them, but many
> people in the Labor movement know that the trade policies and other
> policies that Clinton and especially Gore have promoted and fought
> extremely hard for their becoming law, are the begining of the end
> for Organized Labor in the United States and the entire world.
>
>  I am not alone in being persecuted for my personal beliefs. Many
> other dedicated Trade Unionists throughout the United States who
> refused to support Al Gore for President are experiencing similar
> attacks on their First Ammendment right to free speech. What is
> becoming of the Labor Movement in this country? Are there those in
> Labor who are going to attack their fellow union brothers and
> sisters for daring to sound the alarm against the policy of
> supporting politicians who are telling us what we want to hear, and
> then once in office, persue policies that are slowly but
> systematically destroying us? Should Organized Labor continue to
> allow itself to be the dog that is being wagged by the Democratic
> Party? A party that is no longer the party of the working person,
> but instead a party controlled by corporate campaign money.
> 
> If you are concerned about stopping this trend leading us to a
> return of political witch hunts like that which occured during the
> McCarthy era of the 1950's, please send e-mail messages of support
> for my right (and everyones right) to free speech.
>
> Send e-mail to:
> President Duane Lybarger (AFL-CIO of Champaign County) at:
> 
> unionyes at soltec.net
> 
> This is my personal e-mail address. This way I can be certain that
> they are received.
> 
> In solidarity,
> David Johnson

-- 
Zachary C. Miller - @= - http://wolfgang.groogroo.com/
IMSA 1995 - UIUC 2000 - Just Another Leftist Muppet
 Social Justice, Community, Nonviolence, Decentralization, Feminism,
 Sustainability, Responsibility, Diversity, Democracy, Ecology
Ya Basta! - http://www.greens.org