Los Angeles Labor Federation Against Iraq War and U.S. Patriot Act

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On Jan. 27, 2003, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO (representing 800,000 workers; the second largest such labor body in the U.S.) passed the following anti-war, anti-Patriot Act resolution unanimously and enthusiastically at a very well-attended delegates’ meeting.

Resolution Opposing the Bush Administration’s War on Iraq

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

WHEREAS, the billions of dollars spent to stage and execute this war are being taken away from our schools, hospitals, housing, Social Security, and services for the poor in the midst of the greatest economic crisis in recent memory, even as the Bush Administration simultaneously plans even more giveaways and welfare for their rich supporters; and

WHEREAS, the Bush Administration has spearheaded a renewed assault on organized labor which includes use of Taft-Hartley against dockworkers, excluding over 50,000 federal airport screeners’ right to organize, privatizing nearly 200,000 federal jobs covered by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and removing collective bargaining rights from these employees; and

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

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

WHEREAS, the Bush Administration and Congress’s U.S. Patriot Act serves to undermine labor’s right to organize and fight anti-immigrant attacks by expanding the government’s ability to detain non-citizens, to conduct telephone and internet surveillance, and to carry out secret searches;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, stands firmly against the Bush Administration’s drive to war and calls for a reordering of our national priorities, which must include allocation of resources to provide jobs, education, health care, a clean environment, and social justice; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will work so that organized labor, the national AFL-CIO, and the many allies of working men and women take a stand against the U.S. Patriot Act and Homeland Security Act; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, joins other labor organizations, and community allies, to actively promote and participate in activities opposing the Bush Administration’s drive to war.