Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
Defend Union Security: Support the ILWU
(An Injury to One Is an Injury
to All!)
Passed by SEIU Local 715,
07/16/02
WHEREAS, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) coast-wide
longshore contract with the Port Maritime Authority (PMA) expired on July
1, 2002 without any agreement, and negotiations are continuing over
matters of the greatest importance to the union security of their members,
and
WHEREAS, the union hiring hall won in the San Francisco general strike of
1934 is now being threatened by proposals made by the PMA, and
WHEREAS, the Maritime Security
Act threatens jobs of workers who have criminal convictions many years old
which are unrelated to either their job or maritime security, and
WHEREAS, Homeland Security
Director Tom Ridge, the newly appointed official in charge of all secret
police and investigative forces of the federal government, recently called
the ILWU President to discourage a strike, framing it as a threat to
national security, in an act which was clearly intended to intimidate the
union during negotiations, and
WHEREAS, provisions of the
Taft-Hartley Act may be invoked by the federal government, interfering
with the legal and independent process of collective bargaining, and
WHEREAS, these actions by the
federal government and the PMA endanger fundamental union rights by
interfering with the collective bargaining process, and constitute a
threat to all union members by portraying the defense of union security as
a threat to national security,
BE IT RESOLVED, that SEIU Local
715 will:
1) Publicize this information to members in meetings, newsletters, and
other communications.
2) Request adoption of this resolution by SEIU and county councils
3) Send copies of this resolution to elected representatives, Homeland
Security Director Ridge, and President Bush demanding HANDS OFF of basic
union rights and NO government interference IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
4) Lend support to campaigns and actions undertaken by ILWU to negotiate a
fair settlement with the PMA and if necessary, exercise their legal right
to strike.