Washington state unions condemn war
The Washington State Labor Council (AFL-CIO) adopted the
first statewide union resolution condemning the Bush
administration's war drive at its statewide convention Aug.
19-22 in Spokane.
The "Resolution Against the War, Attacks on Civil Liberties
and Cuts in Public Services" says in part: "President Bush's
ever-expanding 'war on terrorism' has been cynically used to
justify a $48 billion hike in next year's military budget,
bringing it to $383 billion, in addition to the $15 billion
bailout of the airline industry and $25 billion in tax refunds
for corporate America...
"Congress is forcing union members and other working and
poor people to pay for this war drive and subsidize corporate
profits by raiding the Social Security Trust Fund and cutting
funding for economically distressed states and vital government
programs such as subsidies for low income housing and services
to the homeless...
"The national AFL-CIO's uncritical support for this
profit-driven war has derailed labor opposition to increased
military expenditures, corporate subsidies and government
spying and provided political cover for Democrats to jump on
the anti-terrorism bandwagon...
"Therefore, be it resolved that the Washington State Labor
Council expand its efforts to defend civil liberties by taking
the following actions and urging the AFL-CIO to do the
same:
"Campaign for the repeal of the USA Patriot Act and defeat
of similar 'anti-terrorism' measures in state legislatures;
"Pressure local and state law enforcement to refuse to
cooperate with FBI spying on political, union, and
anti-globalism activists or comply with INS harassment of Arabs
and other immigrants and people of color in the U.S.;
"Demand the immediate release of the hundreds of Middle
Eastern, Arab and other immigrants who are still being detained
without due process and/or legal justification;
"And be it finally resolved that the Washington State Labor
Council urge the AFL-CIO and its affiliates to oppose the U.S.
government's open-ended 'war on terrorism' and participate in
rallies, marches and other activities to pressure President
Bush and Congress to stop the war and redirect money from
corporate handouts and the military budget to assist laid-off
workers, restore and expand public services, and promote global
justice by providing humanitarian and economic
aid--administered by unions--to our brothers and sisters in
other countries."
Reprinted from the Sept. 26, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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