Iowa LPA pushes bill of rights for workers

[Scott Marshall <scott@xxxxxxxxxx>]

**Iowa Labor Party Advocates pushes bill of rights for
workers**

(Reprinted from the February 24, 1996 issue of the People's
Weekly World. May be reprinted or reposted with PWW credit.
For subscription information see below)

By Tom Mohan

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - While a record number of Iowans
boycotted the multi-million dollar Big Business buyout of
the state's party caucus process, trade unionists and
community supporters rallied here in support of an
alternative worker's caucus. An enthusiastic crowd of 50
gathered at the call of the Eastern Iowa Chapter of Labor
Party Advocates (LPA) to endorse the chapter and ratify its
Workers' Bill of Rights.

The caucus took place early in the evening to allow
supporters to take the platform at the major party caucus
meetings later that evening

Dan Holub, business agent of Electricians Local 204 and LPA
chair, reminded the group, "We're here tonight because we no
longer have a voice on issues important to working
Americans. Big Business manipulation of the two-party system
has brought us NAFTA and GATT. Since the bosses now have two
political parties, we believe working people should have
one. We're here to organize and speak for ourselves!"

Sylvia Kelley, United Electrical Workers (UE) field
organizer and chapter vice-chair, read solidarity greetings
from UE Political Action Director Chris Townsend. Noting
that the relentless corporate war on workers has resulted in
a continued deterioration of the economic and political
situation of working people and accelerated a drift of both
political parties into the arms of Big Business, Townsend
said, "The work that you undertake in Iowa - the building of
the LPA movement - could not be more timely or important ...
the work we do today will ensure that the labor movement has
a future."

After lively and boisterous discussion, the meeting endorsed
the chapter's 10-point Workers' Bill of Rights which
includes:

* The right to: a job at union wages;

* A stronger NLRB that could award economic damages to
workers and assess civil penalties to the boss;

* The right to secure, decent retirements;

* Card check union recognition and a guaranteed first
contract;

* The right to conduct sympathy strikes, boycotts and
negotiate "hot cargo" agreements;

* A work place free of discrimination;

* The right to strike without threat of being fired or
permanently replaced;

* Equal protection under federal labor law for all

workers;

* A tax system where the rich pay their fair share;

* A federally guaranteed safe and healthy work place.

Those in attendance were delighted to host a mock
presidential candidate forum which ridiculed the candidates'
indifference and hypocrisy regarding the plight of working
Americans.

Before concluding the evening with a tasty chili supper
prepared by several members of Local 204, LPA organizer Dan
Kelley announced the chapter's Martinez Jobs Bill petition
drive and urged the activists to present the petition to
their organizations for endorsement.
##30##
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