[Peace-discuss] Fwd: AFL-CIO Opposed to Bush's Iraq War

Fri Feb 28 08:52:43 CST 2003

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>>Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:16:47 -0500
>>Subject: AFL-CIO Opposed to Bush's Iraq War
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>>
>>Union Federation Opposes War With Iraq
>>======================================
>>
>>By LEIGH STROPE
>>The Associated Press
>>Thursday, February 27, 2003; 4:43 PM
>>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12397-2003Feb27.html
>>
>>The nation's largest labor federation declared its
>>opposition Thursday to war against Iraq at this time,
>>saying President Bush has not made a case for an attack
>>without broad support from U.S. allies.
>>
>>The executive council of the AFL-CIO, made up of 65
>>unions, ended its four-day meeting by unanimously
>>passing the carefully worded resolution, which also
>>says Saddam Hussein must be disarmed - with
>>"multilateral resolve, not unilateral action."
>>
>>Organized labor had tough words for President Bush,
>>without naming him directly, saying the United States
>>has squandered the goodwill it enjoyed after the
>>terrorist attacks and insulted the nation's allies.
>>
>>"The president has not fulfilled his responsibility to
>>make a compelling and coherent explanation to the
>>American people and the world," the resolution said.
>>
>>Organized labor has typically backed military action in
>>the past, including strong support for the Vietnam War.
>>"By historical standards, this is unusual and this is
>>significant," Robert Bruno, labor professor at the
>>University of Illinois at Chicago, said of Thursday's
>>resolution.
>>
>>Morton Bahr, president of the Communications Workers of
>>America, said the resolution was the result of a number
>>of briefings on Iraq with officials who worked in the
>>Clinton administration, including former national
>>security adviser Sandy Berger and former chief of staff
>>John Podesta.
>>
>>"We had real broad input from these guys who had been
>>living with this for a long time," Bahr said, adding
>>that organized labor has historically taken positions
>>on wars that involve American workers and their
>>families.
>>
>>The resolution urges the Bush administration to pursue
>>broad, global consensus to put pressure on Iraq,
>>"ensuring that war, if it comes, will truly be a last
>>resort."
>>
>>Labor officials ended the meeting with a sense of unity
>>in a time of uncertainty, with mounting job losses, a
>>poor economy and a presidential administration that is
>>hostile to their cause, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
>>said.
>>
>>Perhaps the defining moment was Wednesday's address by
>>Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, which shocked and enraged
>>labor leaders, Sweeney said.
>>
>>They were particularly angry about her response to a
>>question about the department's proposed new financial
>>reporting requirements. She read from a paper a list of
>>criminal charges involving one union.
>>
>>Teamsters Union President James P. Hoffa, a White House
>>ally whom officials said was growing frustrated with
>>Bush for his administration's anti-union tactics and
>>policies, was particularly enraged over Chao's remarks.
>>He told colleagues in the closed meeting that unions
>>should support a presidential candidate friendly to
>>working Americans.
>>
>>Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell said Thursday that
>>the union received calls from White House political
>>director Ken Mehlman and Labor Department lawyer Andrew
>>Siff.
>>
>>Substantive conversations have not yet occurred,
>>Caldwell said, "but the White House certainly is
>>concerned about our dissatisfaction with their approach
>>to labor at this point."
>>
>>An insider trading scandal at a union-owned life
>>insurance company had been expected to dominate the
>>meetings this week. But the executive council took no
>>action or stance regarding Ullico Inc., choosing to
>>wait until a special committee completes its review and
>>issues recommendations regarding the special stock sale
>>that some union leaders took advantage of, netting
>>millions of dollars. The Labor and Justice departments
>>also are investigating, as is a grand jury.
>>
>>--
>>
>>On the Net:
>>
>>AFL-CIO: http://www.afl-cio.org/
>>
>>© 2003 The Associated Press
>>
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-- 

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African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
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