Trade Unionists Launch U.S. Labor Against the War
Report by Bill Onasch | 15.01.2003 17:25
More than a hundred trade union leaders and activists gathered at the Teamsters Local 705 hall in Chicago January 11 to discuss labor’s response to the imminent danger of war on Iraq. At the end of the day they launched a new organization to mobilize antiwar sentiment within the union movement-U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW).
Teamsters Local 705, the second largest Teamsters Local in the country, offered to host the gathering shortly after their members overwhelmingly passed an antiwar resolution at a well-attended (over 400) meeting. Two veteran organizers, Gene Bruskin and Bob Muehlenkamp, did a good job of assembling this impressive gathering on short notice. The initial invitation letter was signed by:
Alan Benchich, President, UAW 909
Jerry Brown, President, 1199NE/SEIU, Hartford
Bill Hennings, VP, CWA Local 1180, NYC
Bruce J. Kipple, General Sec. -Treas., UE
Richard Mead, President, ILWU Local 10
Bob Muehlenkamp
Alan Netland, President, Duluth CLC, President AFSCME Local 96
Sal Roselli, President, L. 250/SEIU, Oakland
Brenda Stokely, President, AFSCME Council 1707, Co-chair, NYCLAW
Gerry Zero, Sec-Tr., IBT L. 705, Chicago
After hearing presentations from David Cortright, Fourth Freedom Forum, and Bill Fletcher, director of TransAfrica and a former special assistant to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, the delegates went on to a vigorous debate over a resolution to establish basic principles. The most contentious issue was that of the United Nations. A few wanted to denounce the UN as a tool of the U.S. while a few others wanted to praise the UN for preventing war on Iraq to this point. In the end the delegates decided we could live without saying anything about the UN. The final language of the resolution is reproduced below.
The gathering had a practical discussion of how to take our positions into the rest of the labor movement. The first priority is to get as many union bodies as possible in the next few weeks to adopt resolutions and contribute money to the new organization. A continuations committee, made up of representatives selected by unions with sizeable delegations, was established to set up structures to carry on USLAW’s work.
In the Kansas City area there will be a meeting to discuss building USLAW Saturday, January 18, 1PM at 2113 Erie in North Kansas City. For more information call 816-753-1672 or 816-221-3638 or send an e-mail to
laboradvocate@kclabor.org
Teamsters Local 705, the second largest Teamsters Local in the country, offered to host the gathering shortly after their members overwhelmingly passed an antiwar resolution at a well-attended (over 400) meeting. Two veteran organizers, Gene Bruskin and Bob Muehlenkamp, did a good job of assembling this impressive gathering on short notice. The initial invitation letter was signed by:
Alan Benchich, President, UAW 909
Jerry Brown, President, 1199NE/SEIU, Hartford
Bill Hennings, VP, CWA Local 1180, NYC
Bruce J. Kipple, General Sec. -Treas., UE
Richard Mead, President, ILWU Local 10
Bob Muehlenkamp
Alan Netland, President, Duluth CLC, President AFSCME Local 96
Sal Roselli, President, L. 250/SEIU, Oakland
Brenda Stokely, President, AFSCME Council 1707, Co-chair, NYCLAW
Gerry Zero, Sec-Tr., IBT L. 705, Chicago
After hearing presentations from David Cortright, Fourth Freedom Forum, and Bill Fletcher, director of TransAfrica and a former special assistant to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, the delegates went on to a vigorous debate over a resolution to establish basic principles. The most contentious issue was that of the United Nations. A few wanted to denounce the UN as a tool of the U.S. while a few others wanted to praise the UN for preventing war on Iraq to this point. In the end the delegates decided we could live without saying anything about the UN. The final language of the resolution is reproduced below.
The gathering had a practical discussion of how to take our positions into the rest of the labor movement. The first priority is to get as many union bodies as possible in the next few weeks to adopt resolutions and contribute money to the new organization. A continuations committee, made up of representatives selected by unions with sizeable delegations, was established to set up structures to carry on USLAW’s work.
In the Kansas City area there will be a meeting to discuss building USLAW Saturday, January 18, 1PM at 2113 Erie in North Kansas City. For more information call 816-753-1672 or 816-221-3638 or send an e-mail to
laboradvocate@kclabor.org
Report by Bill Onasch
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