[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [sftalk] Fw: Open Letter to the AFL-CIO from U S Labor Against War

[Alfred Kagan]

FYI

Begin forwarded message:

> From: <unionyes at ameritech.net>
> Date: February 23, 2005 5:27:27 PM CST
> To: <@returns.groups.yahoo.com;>
> Cc: "Mike Lehman" <rebelmike at earthlink.net>, "Carl Estabrook" 
> <cge at shout.net>, "Bob Illyes" <illyes at uiuc.edu>
> Subject: [sftalk] Fw: Open Letter to the AFL-CIO from U S Labor 
> Against War
> Reply-To: sftalk at yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <moderator at portside.org>
> To: <portside at lists.portside.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 11:21 PM
> Subject: Open Letter to the AFL-CIO from U S Labor Against War
>
>
>> Open Letter to the AFL-CIO from U S Labor Against War
>>
>> 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 at
>> http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/petition.php?pid=8
>>
>> To: President Sweeney, Members of the General Executive
>> Council, AFL-CIO Affiliates
>>
>> Sisters and Brothers:
>>
>> Below and attached is a statement initiated by U.S.
>> Labor Against the War which has been signed by a large
>> number of organizations, executive officers on behalf
>> of their organizations, and by individuals, many of
>> whom hold positions of substantial responsibility
>> within their unions and other labor organizations.  The
>> statement has been posted to the U.S. Labor Against the
>> War website (at
>> http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/petition.php?pid=8)
>> with an input form by which additional signers can
>> indicate their support.  The initial signers are
>> appended here.
>>
>> We make this contribution to the discussion about the
>> future of the labor movement and request that it be
>> posted and circulated with other discussion papers and
>> proposals.
>>
>> Yours in solidarity,
>> Michael Eisenscher
>> USLAW National Organizer & Website Coordinator
>>
>> ==========
>>
>> 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 at http://uslaboragainstwar.org.)
>>
>> 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 at
>> http://uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=7343.)
>>
>> 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!
>>
>> =====
>>
>> 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
>>
>> ==========
>>
>> 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, Executive 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 at igc.org>
>> Website: www.uslaboragainstwar.org
>> _______________________________________________________
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Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliogrpaher and Professor of Library Administration
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801

tel. 217-333-6519
fax 217-333-2214
akagan at uiuc.edu
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