Union delegates reaffirm support for SF8

Delegates to the San Francisco Labor Council on April 13, by a vote of 45 to 40, defeated a right-wing attempt to revoke a previously passed resolution that demanded justice for the San Francisco 8.

The San Francisco 8 are a group of former Black Panther Party members, now community organizers or political prisoners, who were charged more than 35 years after the fact with killing a San Francisco policeman. Similar charges against three former Black Panther Party members, including current defendant Harold Taylor, had been dismissed in 1975 after a judge concluded they had been tortured by police in New Orleans. The statements from this torture were used to fabricate the murder charges in the current case.

The San Francisco Labor Council is well-known for its willingness to support progressive issues. Over the past several years, the Labor Council has passed resolutions supporting May Day immigrant rights protests and demonstrations against the U.S. war on Iraq. The Labor Council has also demanded a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.

On Feb. 9, the Labor Council had passed a resolution demanding that the charges be dropped against the San Francisco 8, reflecting a broad sentiment in the San Francisco Bay area.

However, as a result of heavy pressure and a public attack on the resolution by the San Francisco Police Officers Association—not a member of the Labor Council—five members of the executive committee called for the resolution to be rescinded. The resolution was also pulled from the Labor Council Web site.

A group of progressive unionists and community supporters immediately began organizing to support the resolution and defeat the move to revoke. A statement issued by an ad hoc group of union delegates read: “The Labor Council has a proud history of standing up for social justice in the face of controversy and intimidation. This is not the time to take a step backwards.”

These trade unionists, hailing from many Bay Area locals, organized a large delegation to attend the April 13 Labor Council and fight against the motion to rescind the democratic vote.

Statements were issued by many organizations and individuals, including Fred Hirsch, a member of the executive committee of Plumbers and Fitters Local 393. Hirsch witnessed demonstrators, including children, being attacked by the San Francisco police on March 21, during the last major mobilization against the war in Iraq. He called upon the Labor Council to be as courageous and principled as the young children were on March 21.

Fortunately, the right-wing attempt to revoke the resolution supporting the San Francisco 8 was defeated by the union delegates.