[Marxism] Communication Workers of America: "Troops Home Safely Now!"

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Please redistribute widely.  Apologies for duplicates created by
cross-posting.
[This message contains minor typographical corrections and the full
resolution as adopted.]
CWA Convention Calls for Return of U.S. Troops Now!


On Tuesday, August 31st, 1400 delegates to the Communications Workers of
America annual convention in Anaheim, CA voted nearly unanimously in
favor a resolution that calls upon George W. Bush to abandon his policy
of preemptive war and to support U.S. troops by "bringing them home
safely now."

A resolution presented by the resolutions committee entitled "Making Our
Country More Secure" condemned the Bush policy of unilateral military
action and preemptive war.  It was silent, however, on an end to the
U.S. military occupation of Iraq and return of U.S. troops.  It called
upon the Bush administration to abandon its policy of preemptive war
"absent a clear and present threat ot the United States."  It also
called for the next administration to "vigorously pursue the war on
terror in conjunction with (U.S.) allies, and for the president and
Congress to "make federal funds available to staff and train first
responders."

When that resolution was reported to the floor for consideration, Bill
Henning, Executive Vice President of Local 1180, took the microphone to
propose an amendment which added the following "Resolve":

"That CWA demands that the President abandon his failed policy (of
preemptive war) which has made our nation less - not more - secure, and
support our troops and their families by bringing our troops home safely
now, by providing adequate veterans' benefits and promoting domestic
policies that prioritize the needs of working people who make up the
build of the military"....

That amendment was sponsored by Louie Rocha, President of Local 9423 in
San Jose, Arthur Cheliotes, President of Local 1180 in New York City,
Velma Patton, President of Local 7708 in Colorado Springs, Don
Trementozzi, President of Local 1400 in New Hampshire, and Jegler
Kalmijn, President of Local 9119 in California.

As Bill Henning introduced the amendment, more than fifty delegates from
locals across the country formed a line at the microphone designated for
speakers in favor of the motion.  First to speak was Velma Patton, who
introduced herself as the daughter of a military family with a long and
proud tradition of serving the country.  She then informed delegates
that her son, who is now in the Armed Services, is scheduled to be sent
to Iraq next week.   She strongly supported the call for an immediate
return of all U.S. troops.  She said she did not want one more son or
daughter, husband or wife, or anyone else to be sacrificed for Bush's
war.  Her remarks were greeted by resounding applause.

No one rose to speak in opposition.  When President Morty Bahr called
for a vote by hand, there was no doubt as to the outcome.  Only a
handful among the 1400 delegates were raised their hands in opposition.


Following the vote on the amendment, Mike Milliman, Executive Board
member and delegate from CWA Local 9510 in Orange County, CA, took the
microphone to support the amended motion.  He introduced himself as a
Vietnam Veteran and delivered a searing condemnation of the Bush
administration's militaristic policies.  He told the delegates that any
continued military presence in Iraq would be a disaster.  He proclaimed
that not one more life should be lost in defense of an invasion based on
Bush administration lies and deception.

Then Bill Lehman, Jr., Vice President of the America West Council of the
Association of Flight Attendants (an affiliate of CWA) offered another
amendment calling for "any and all actions to ensure that the 46,000
members of the Association of Flight Attendants receive mandatory
security training" as first responders who faced the prospect of either
having their flights highjacked and used as missiles or being shot down
by U.S. air defenses in the event of a terrorist takeover of a plane in
flight.  He condemned the hypocrisy of the administration for hyping its
"War on Terror" while failing to provide first responders (police, fire
fighters, paramedics, flight attendants and others) with appropriate
training and equipment essential to the security of the traveling
public.  His amendment was unanimously adopted.

The resolution, as twice amended, was then adopted without any visible
sign of dissent.

CWA joins the Service Employees (SEIU), American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Postal Workers (APWU), Mail
Handlers (a division of the Laborers' Union - LIUNA), and the
California, Washington, and Maryland/DC Federations of Labor in adopting
strong antiwar resolutions this year.  The APWU, Mail Handlers and
Washington State Federation resolutions were adopted within the last
week.  Also in the last few weeks the Asian Pacific American Labor
Alliance (APALA) and Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
(LCLAA) joined the Coalition of Labor Union Women and Pride At Work (all
allied organizations of the AFL-CIO), in  condemning the war and calling
for an immediate return of U.S. troops.  Over the course of the year
dozens of labor councils, regional labor bodies, local unions and other
labor organizations have taken similar action.

CWA claims 700,000 members.  SEIU has 1.6 million; AFSCME, 1.2 million;
the CA State Federation includes one-sixth of all members of the 13
million member AFL-CIO.  The antiwar momentum in organized labor is
emerging as a powerful expression of discontent among working people
with the Bush administration's dangerous and provocative militarism that
has left the U.S. more isolated in the world than at any time since
prior to World War II.

Many of these labor organizations are affiliated with U.S. Labor Against
the War (USLAW), which includes more than 80 affiliates in the U.S.
labor movement.  USLAW has provided leadership and coordination to the
growing labor antiwar movement.  It helped coordinate support for
antiwar resolutions passed at most of the recent union conventions that
have taken such action, most significantly at the SEIU, CWA and
California State Federation of Labor conventions.

On the evening prior to CWA convention action on the antiwar resolution,
USLAW sponsored a forum at the convention center in Anaheim where David
Bacon, a freelance labor journalist and member of the Newspaper Guild
(another affiliate of CWA), reported on his experience as one of two
U.S. trade unionists who were part of the first international labor
delegation to visit Iraq last October.  USLAW also had a literature
booth at the convention from which thousands of flyers and fact sheets
were distributed to delegates and nearly 500 buttons were sold.

USLAW also helped mobilize labor turnout at the massive  antiwar
demonstration conducted on Saturday on the eve of the Republican
National Convention in NYC.  Thousands of trade unionists joined in the
half-million strong march from lower Manhattan to Madison Square Garden,
the site of the RNC, and back to Union Square.

  _____

http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=6343

Resolution 66A-04-2
Making Our Country More Secure


America was born in pursuit of an idea; that a free people with diverse
beliefs can govern themselves in peace.

Throughout our history, we have forged powerful alliances to defend,
encourage, and promote that idea around the world. Through two World
Wars, the Cold War, the Gulf War and Kosovo, America led broad
coalitions instead of "going it alone." We respected the world - and the
world respected us.

The current administration has walked away from more than a century of
American leadership in the world to embrace a new and dangerously
ineffective path of preemptive war without an imminent threat to the
United States.

In the months following September 11, 2001, America enjoyed
unprecedented goodwill and global solidarity in the war on terrorism.
This goodwill has been squandered by unilateral action of the Bush
administration. The current administration has demonstrated American
disregard for the world community.    It confuses leadership with "going
it alone." It bullies instead of persuades. It fails to understand that
real leadership means standing by your principles and encouraging others
to join you.

The Bush administration's approach toward world affairs divides us here
at home and separates us from our traditional allies in the world
community. Such divisions stand in sharp contrast to the unity and
global solidarity that America enjoyed in the days and months after
September 11. We have wasted much of that goodwill, managed to insult
many of our strong allies and divided the world at a time when it should
speak as one.

So far the "go it alone" approach has cost U.S. taxpayers $144.4 billion
for the war in Iraq. This money could have been better spent. Instead of
engaging in a war that has already taken a thousand American lives and
the lives of countless thousands of Iraqis, we could have spent the
money to fund already existing security programs and other measures to
strengthen our first responders. We should have spent:

. $7.5 billion to fund the Maritime Transportation Security Act to
safeguard our ports;

. $4 billion to expedite the upgrade of our Coast Guard; $2 billion for
improved cargo security;

. $10 billion to protect American commercial airliners from
shoulder-fired rockets;

. $5 billion for state-of-art baggage screening machines;

. $7 billion for 100,000 police officers;

. $350 million for integrating emergency radio systems;

. $3 billion to secure major roads and railways;

. $30.5 billion to secure from theft the world's weapons-grade nuclear
material;

. $2.25 billion to expedite the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction
Program;

. $24 billion to add two divisions to the Army;

. $15.5 billion to double the 25,000 active-duty troops in the Special
Operations Forces;

. $8.6 billion to rebuild Afghanistan;

. $11 billion to finance crop conversion in Afghanistan;

. $10 billion to increase American development assistance to the
neediest countries: and $775 million for public diplomacy.

We have a particularly strong interest in all conflicts involving the
U.S. Armed Forces. Those who fight for the United States are, as they
always have been, the men and women of America's working families. We
are proud of our members and their families now serving in our armed
forces. The CWA reiterates its support for all working men and women in
our armed forces and honors their courage.

The process by which we, as members of the family of nations, decide how
to deal with such  international threats is critical to our future. The
threat of terrorism with a global reach is real. We have experienced the
terrible destruction it can wreak. To respond to that threat, America
will need the support of our allies and the major nations of the world.
Our country and our families will be more secure if America is the
respected leader of a broad coalition against terrorism, rather than
isolated as a lone enforcer.

RESOLVED: The Communications Workers of America calls on the Bush
administration to reject the philosophy of pre-emptive war without a
clear and present threat to the United States;

RESOLVED: That CWA demands that the President abandon his failed policy
(of preemptive war) which has made our nation less - not more - secure,
and support our troops and their families by bringing our troops home
safely now, by providing adequate veterans' benefits and promoting
domestic policies that prioritize the needs of working people who make
up the bulk of the military;

RESOLVED: The Communications Workers of America calls on the next
administration to vigorously pursue the war on terror in conjunction
with our allies;

RESOLVED: The Communications Workers of America encourages the president
and the Congress to make federal funds available to staff and train
first responders;

RESOLVED:  That the Communications Workers of America will take any and
all action to ensure that the 46,000 members of the Association of
Flight Attendants receive mandatory security training as first
responders.

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U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW)
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www.uslaboragainstwar.org <http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/>
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Gene Bruskin and Bob Muehlenkamp, Co-convenors

Amy Newell, National Organizer

Michael Eisenscher, Organizer & Web Coordinator

Adrienne Nicosia, Administrative Staff











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