Founding of U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)

Founding of U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)
January 13, 2003

On Saturday, November 11, New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW) participated in an historic meeting in Chicago which established US Labor Against the War (USLAW).

The meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates from unions and labor antiwar committees (see below), and reflects rapidly-growing labor antiwar activity across the country.

In an effort to find common ground, NYCLAW proposed that USLAW adopt a brief founding statement based on the antiwar resolution previously adopted by IBT Local 705 (which graciously hosted the meeting); after amendment, it was unanimously adopted.

USLAW will mobilize labor contingents at this Saturday’s national ANSWER demonstrations in D.C. and San Francisco, and will encourage adoption of its founding statement by other labor bodies.

The meeting also established a Continuations Committee, in which NYCLAW will participate.

In addition to NYCLAW, metro New York City trade union bodies represented at USLAW’s founding meeting included: 1199ers for Peace and Justice, AFSCME DC 1707, Bergen Co. (NJ) Central Trades and Labor Council, CWA L.1180, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, NY Metro Area Postal Union (APWU), PSC-CUNY/AFL L.2334, SEIU L.1199, and SSEU/AFSCME L.371.

For more details about USLAW, please attend NYCLAW’s next meeting: Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 p.m., at AFSCME DC 1707, 75 Varick St., or contact: nyclaw01@excite.com.

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[USLAW Founding Statement]

WE ESTABLISH U.S. LABOR AGAINST THE WAR

WHEREAS, over 100 trade unionists from 76 local, regional and national unions, central labor councils and other labor organizations (see details below) representing over 2 million members gathered in Chicago for an unprecedented meeting to discuss our concerns about the Bush administration’s threat of war; and

WHEREAS, union members and leaders have the responsibility to inform all working people about issues that affect their lives, jobs and families, and to be heard in the national debate on these issues; and

WHEREAS, the principal victims of any military action in Iraq will be the sons and daughters of working class families serving in the military who will be put in harm’s way, and innocent Iraqi civilians who have already suffered so much; and

Whereas, we have no quarrel with the ordinary working class men, women and children of Iraq, or any other country; and

Whereas, the billions of dollars spent to stage and execute this war are being taken away from our schools, hospitals, housing and Social Security; and

Whereas, the war is a pretext for attacks on labor, civil, immigrant and human rights at home; and

Whereas, Bush’s drive for war serves as a cover and distraction for the sinking economy, corporate corruption and layoffs; and

Whereas, such military action is predicted actually to increase the likelihood of retaliatory terrorist acts; and

Whereas, there is no convincing link between Iraq and Al Qaeda or the attacks on Sept. 11, and neither the Bush administration nor the UN inspections have demonstrated that Iraq poses a real threat to Americans; and

Whereas, U.S. military action against Iraq threatens the peaceful resolution of disputes among states, jeopardizing the safety and security of the entire world, including Americans; and

Whereas, labor has had an historic role in fighting for justice; therefore

We hereby establish the U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW); and

Resolve that U.S. Labor Against the War stands firmly against Bush’s war drive; and

Further resolve that U.S. Labor Against the War will publicize this statement, and promote union, labor and community antiwar activity.

Adopted January 11, 2003 in Chicago, IL.

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LABOR BODIES REPRESENTED AT USLAW FOUNDING MEETING

1199 New England, SEIU
1199ers for Peace and Justice
1199P/SEIU
ADWU
AFA International
AFL L.1
AFSCME Ind.
AFSCME DC 1707
AFSCME L.3506
AFT L.1936
AFT L.2026
ATU L.587
ATU L.1287
Bergen Co (NJ) Central Trades and Labor Council
Black Workers for Justice
CCTU L.1600
Chicago CLUW
CNP-JWJ
Coalition of University Employees/CUE L.3
CWA L.1180
CWA-Oakland
DAN-Labor
DC Labor Committee for Peace and Justice
Filipino Workers Assn.N. California Media Workers
GCIU L.745c
HERE L.1
IAM L.701
IBT L.705
IFPTE L.17
ILWU L.10
ILWU L.5
Intl SEIU
Labor Committee for Peace and Justice (Bay Area)
Masters MP
Monterey Bay (CA) CLC
NALC L.214
National Writers Union/UAW L.1981
New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW)
NWU-Chicago
NY Metro Area Postal Union (APWU)
OPEIU L.2
Organized Labor Against the War (Seattle)
PSC-CUNY/AFT L.2334
San Francisco Central Labor Council
SEIU L.1199 FL
SEIU L.250
SEIU District 1199
SEIU L.73
SEIU L.660
SEIU L.1
SSEU/AFSCME L.371
TNBC
U Conn. AAUP
UAW L.2334
UAW L.95/LCLAA
UAW L.235
UAW L.909
UE L.150
UHCW St. Louis
UIE
UNITE MW Region
United Scenic Artists L.829/IATSE
UPIU
USWA L.6787
WAND, No. Ind.
Washington (DC) Teachers Union
Washington Federation of State Employees
WFT
WFT
Workers Solidarity, Youngstown

[The following was provided by Michael Eisenscher, coordinator of one of
NYCLAW’s sister organizations, the Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and
Justice]

ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED
Local Unions: 40
District/Regional Union Bodies: 16
National Unions: 5
Central Labor Bodies: 3
Antiwar Committees and other Orgs: 12
TOTAL: 76

UNION MEMBERS AND STAFF ATTENDING
Executive Officers (Pres., VP. Sec-Treas, Exec. Dir.): 31
Stewards/Delegates: 10
Executive Board Members: 4
Business Agents: 3
Members: 9
Staff: 18
Political Action, Legislative, Policy Directors: 7
Publication Editors, Communications Directors: 2
Education Directors: 2
Organizing Directors: 1
Research Staff/Director: 1
TOTAL: 87

Census of Labor Organizations on Record Against War
(from information available prior to the meeting)

Central Labor Bodies
Albany CLC Duluth
Central Labor Body King
County Labor Council
Monterey Bay CLC
Philadelphia Central Labor Council
Rochester CLC Sacramento Labor Council
San Francisco Labor Council
Saratoga Labor Council
South Bay Labor Council
Troy CLC
Vancouver District Labor Council
Washington, DC CLC

State Federations
California Federation of Labor
Hawaii State Federation
Washington State Labor Council

District/Regional Organizations
1199/SEIU
AFSCME District 1707 Council
Bergen County Central Trades Council
CA Pipe Trades Council
California Federation of Teachers
California Faculty Association/SEIU Local 1983
California Nurses’ Association
IAM District Lodge 77 Retirees
New Mexico Carpenters
New York State Nurses’ Association
SEIU 1199 NE
SEIU 1199 PA
SEIU Wisconsin District
Wisconsin Federation of Teachers

National Organizations
AFSCME International Exec. Bd.
Canadian Auto Workers
NWU/UAW Local 1981
Pride at Work
United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers

Local Organizations
AFSCME Local 1549
AFSCME Local 1930, DC 37
AFSCME Local 215
AFSCME Local 304
AFSCME Local 3800
AFSCME Local 444
AFSCME Local 446/CSEA
AFT Local 1474, UC-Berkeley
AFT Local 1521
AFT Local 2026
AFT Local 2190/UUP, SUNY
AFT Local 2334, Professional Staff Congress, CUNY
AFT Local 4345
AFT Local 6
AFT/West Haven Federation of Teachers
CWA Local 1180CWA Local 9423
HERE Local 2
HERE Local 5
IAM Local Lodge 459
ILWU Local 10
ILWU Local 5
ILWU Local 6
Millwrights’ Local 2158
NALC Branch 214
Oakland Education Association
OPEIU Local 2
Painters and Tapers Local 913
Plumbers & Fitters Local 393
RWDSU Local 108
SEIU Local 250
SEIU Local 254
SEIU Local 535
SEIU Local 660
SEIU Local 715
SEIU Local 73
Teamsters Local 705
UAW Local 2865, Univ. of CA
UAW Local 600
United Brotherhood of Carpenters/New Mexico
United Teachers of Los Angeles