San Francisco Labor Council Resolution
Adopted August 26, 2002
No New War Against Iraq -- Keep the Government Off the Docks !

Whereas, the San Francisco Labor Council has for many years opposed the US bombing and sanctions against Iraq, which have resulted in dire shortages of food and medicine and contributed to the deaths of over 1,000,000 Iraqis including over 500,000 children; and

Whereas, now the Bush Administration is beating the drums for a new war against Iraq, despite mounting opposition to this war at home and abroad; and

Whereas, in early 1998 the US government’s drive to launch a new war against Iraq was abruptly halted by a rising opposition movement that included the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the San Francisco Labor Council, the Alameda County Central Labor Council, and the students who debated Defense Secretary Cohen and Secretary of State Albright on national television at Ohio State University, which showed that the labor movement and people’s movement do have the potential to force a reversal of unjust government policies; and

Whereas, wasting billions of dollars on the Iraq war buildup translates into cutbacks of essential and job-producing social programs at home such as education, health care, social security and housing, and threatening the rights of labor to strike and organize; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration’s war drive has a domestic component – threatening to turn his "endless war" against the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) and as an opening wedge against the entire labor movement, by threatening government intervention on the West Coast docks under the guise of "Homeland Security," on the side of the Pacific Maritime Association bosses and a coalition of anti-union corporate interests including WalMart and The Gap; therefore be it

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO, reaffirm and join the growing movement in opposition to any US war against Iraq, and call on the unions and AFL-CIO at all levels and Congressional representatives to publicly oppose this war; and be it further

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council strongly condemn any attempt by the government, at any level, to introduce troops or otherwise intervene in the contract dispute between the ILWU and the employers, and call on Congressional representatives to publicly oppose this interference; and be it further

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council endorse the "Stop-the-War" marches and rallies taking place September 14-16, 2002 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and other cities, as well as the International Day of Protest on October 26, 2002.

"No New War Against Iraq – Keep the Government Off the Docks!"