New York City Labor Statement on September 11
September 27, 2001
September 11 has brought indescribable suffering to New
York City's working people. We have lost friends,
family members and coworkers of all colors,
nationalities and religions-a thousand of them union
members. An estimated one hundred thousand New Yorkers
will lose their jobs.
We condemn this crime against humanity and mourn those
who perished. We are proud of the rescuers and the
outpouring of labor support for victims' families. We
want justice for the dead and safety for the living.
And we believe that George Bush's war is not the
answer.
No one should suffer what we experienced on September
11. Yet war will inevitably harm countless innocent
civilians, strengthen American alliances with brutal
dictatorships and deepen global poverty-just as the
United States and its allies have already inflicted
widespread suffering on innocent people in such places
as Iraq, Sudan, Israel and the Occupied Territories,
the former Yugoslavia and Latin America.
War will also take a heavy toll on us. For Americans
in uniform-the overwhelming number of whom are workers
and people of color-it will be another Vietnam. It
will generate further terror in this country against
Arabs, Muslims, South Asians, people of color and
immigrants, and erode our civil liberties. It will
redirect billions to the military and corporate
executives, while draining such essential domestic
programs as education, health care and the social
security trust.
War will play into the hands of religious fanatics-from
Osama bin Laden to Jerry Falwell-and provoke further
terrorism in major urban centers like New York.
. . .
Therefore, the undersigned New York City metro-area
trade unionists believe a just and effective response
to September 11 demands:
*NO WAR. It is wrong to punish any nation or people
for the crimes of individuals-peace requires global
social and economic justice.
*JUSTICE, NOT VENGEANCE. An independent international
tribunal to impartially investigate, apprehend and try
those responsible for the September 11 attack.
*OPPOSITION TO RACISM-DEFENSE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES.
Stop terror, racial profiling and legal restrictions
against people of color and immigrants, and defend
democratic rights.
*AID FOR THE NEEDY, NOT THE GREEDY. Government aid
for the victims' families and displaced workers-not the
wealthy. Rebuild New York City with union labor, union
pay, and with special concern for new threats to worker
health and safety.
Signers (all affiliations listed for identification only)(list in
formation)
Larry Adams,
President, NPMHU Local 300
Barbara Bowen,
President, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY/AFT Local 2334
Arthur Cheliotes,
President, CWA Local 1180
Michael Letwin,
President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW
Local 2325
Brenda Stokely,
President, AFSCME Local 215, DC 1707
Marilyn Albert,
RN, SEIU Local 1199
Sylvia Aron, Rehab Committee Co-Chair, NYC CLC & Past President,
AAUP, Adelphi Chapter
Stanley Aronowitz,
University-Wide Officer & Executive Council, PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Harold Bahr, III,
Chair, GLTGC, ALAA/UAW Local 2325
Thomas Barton,
Shop Steward, AFSCME Local 768, DC 37
Chris Butters,
AFSCME Local 1070, DC 37
Hugh English,
PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Samuel Farber,
PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Pam Galpern,
Shop Steward, CWA Local 1101
Gary Goff,
Recording Sec'y, AFSCME Local 2627, DC 37
Bill Henning,
Vice-President, CWA Local 1180
Lucy Herschel,
Delegate, SEIU Local 1199, Legal Aid Chapter
Ed Hilbrich,
SSA/SEIU Local 693
Carol Hochberg,
Vice-President/JRD, ALAA/UAW Local 2325
Norman Hodgett,
AFSCME Local 371, DC 37
David Kazanjian,
PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Dian Killian,
Organizer, Journalism Division, NWU/UAW Local 1981
Lisa Maya Knauer,
GSOC/UAW Local 2110
Ray LaForest,
Staff Representative, DC 1707, AFSCME
Julius Margolin,
IATSE Local 52
Florence Morgan,
ALAA/UAW 2325
Matt Noyes,
Education Coordinator, AUD & NWU/UAW Local 1981
Tony O'Brien,
Delegate, PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Paul Peloquin,
Delegate, LSSA/UAW 2320
Andy Piascik,
Program Coordinator, AUD & NWU/UAW Local 1981
Carol Pittman,
Coordinator, Jobs With Justice/NYC Pride at Work, NY
Mike Quinn,
High School Delegate, UFT
Jay Schaffner,
Supervisor, National Contracts Dept., AFM Local 802
Jose Schiffino,
Organizer, UNITE! Local 169
Soo Kyung Nam,
UAW Local 2320
Gibb Surette,
Delegate, LSSA/UAW 2320
Sean Sweeney,
Director, Cornell Labor Studies
Terry Taylor,
IBEW Local 827, Black Telephone Workers For Justice
Miriam Thompson,
PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334
Marilyn Vogt-Downey,
UFT
Kit Wainer,
UFT
Ron Washington,
IBEW Local 827, Black Telephone Workers For Justice
Corinne Willinger,
PEF
JoAnn Wypijenski,
TNGNY/CWA
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