Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
U.S. LABOR AGAINST THE WAR
Calls for Large Labor Turnout for March 20 Global Antiwar Protests
On
March 20, the one-year anniversary of the U.S. bombing and invasion of
Iraq, millions of people across the globe will once again take to the
streets to say,
"The world still says NO to war!"
A year ago, on February 16, more than 12 million people the world over
took to the streets to oppose the war on Iraq. It was the largest antiwar
mobilization in history.
These millions were right. This was a war based on lies. There is no
evidence Iraq was involved in 9-11. Iraq posed no imminent threat to the
United States. No weapons of mass destruction have been found there.
Bush lied ... and U.S. troops and innocent Iraqi civilians died.
Hundreds of U.S. soldiers have sacrificed their lives; thousands have
been injured - physically or emotionally scarred for life. Tens of
thousands of Iraqi civilians have suffered casualties and death. All this
suffering for what? To make Iraq safe for Halliburton, Bechtel and a host
of other corporate cronies of the Bush administration!
One year of U.S.-led occupation of Iraq has only brought chaos and
disaster to that country.
Unemployment among Iraqi workers has reached 70%. There are no
unemployment benefits. Wages for most Iraqi workers have been frozen at
$60 per month, while all bonuses, profit sharing and subsidies for housing
and food have been eliminated.
Iraqi workers have been denied the right to organize unions of their
choice. While claiming to bring democracy to Iraq, the U.S.-run Occupation
Authority continues to enforce a 1987 Hussein-era law that prohibits
unions in the public sector and state enterprises where most Iraqis work.
The Occupation Authority just issued a new decree, Public Order 39,
allowing 100% foreign ownership of Iraqi businesses and the repatriation
of profits.
Iraq teeters on the brink of malnutrition, chaos and civil war while
multinational corporations scramble to divide up Iraq's national resources
and wealth - the same corporations that violate workers' rights, fight
unions, and downsize, outsource and export jobs in the United States.
CALL for LABOR TURN OUT on MARCH 20
US Labor Against the War calls on organized labor and all working
people to join veterans, military families, students, senior citizens,
religious leaders, immigrant rights and other social justice advocates and
millions of others on March 20th to protest the war and occupation in the
mass demonstrations in New York, San Francisco and many other cities
across the U.S. and around the world.
* Join us in expressing our opposition to the "Patriot Act" and
erosion of our rights in the name of "fighting terrorism."
* Join us to demand an end to the mass detentions and deportation of
immigrants in the name of "national security."
* Join us to say NO to vast cuts in vital domestic social programs to pay
for massive increases in military spending.
* Join us to demand respect for labor and human rights in both Iraq and
the United States.
* Join us in demanding that the U.S. government respect national
sovereignty and uphold the right of self-determination for all peoples,
beginning with the people of Iraq.
* Join is in demanding that the U.S. government solve disputes by
diplomacy not war, strengthen international treaties, reject preemptive
military aggression, and promote global economic and social justice rather
than the race-to-the-bottom, job-destroying, discriminatory practices
favored by multinational corporations.
Together, let's send a message loud and clear -- "NO to occupation,
NO to war profiteering, NO to labor rights violations! Bring the troops
home now!"
USLAW also calls upon all trade unionists, labor and antiwar activists in
the United States to support our Campaign for Labor Rights in Iraq. Urge
your elected representatives to join Reps. Sam Farr, Barbara Lee, Dennis
Kucinich and others in demanding the Bush Administration respect labor
rights in Iraq and here at home.
Join USLAW on March 20th in labor contingents at demonstrations in a city
near you.
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END THE OCCUPATION!
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BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!
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MONEY FOR JOBS, HEALTH CARE AND SCHOOLS,
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NOT FOR PROFITS & WAR!
( For more information about USLAW, please visit their website at www.uslaboragainstwar.org )