South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice protest on the streets of San Jose

Protest for workers' rights

Welcome to South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice (SBLPJ) is an independent organization of workers, unionists and allies based in San Jose / Silicon Valley, California.

South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice (SBLPJ) is an independent organization of workers, unionists and allies based in San Jose / Silicon Valley, California. We aim to bring the perspective and concerns of working people to the anti-war movement, and to encourage labor unions and workers to support peace and justice.

Since SBLPJ began in September 2002, our work has included a teach-in on the war at home & abroad, joint rallies connecting labor and peace issues, a rally and leafleting on Tax Day, delegations to members of Congress, support for passage of anti-war resolutions by the South Bay Labor Council and locals, a regional strategy workshop on "Mobilizing Union Opposition to the War on Iraq", establishment of a speakers bureau, and other projects.

AFL-CIO Calls for
Rapid Return of U.S. Troops

July 26, 2005
Chicago: In a major change of course, the AFL-CIO Convention delegates voted this afternoon in favor of a resolution calling for a "rapid" return of all U.S. troops from Iraq.

USLAW Co-Convenor Gene Bruskin observed, "The action taken by this convention puts the AFL-CIO on record for a rapid end to the Iraq occupation - a stand squarely in the mainstream of American public opinion." MORE


Oil Workers Faleh Abbood Umara, above, and
Hassan Juma'a Awad Al Asade, at right

Iraqi labor leaders call for solidarity

As part of a two-week tour in organized by US Labor Against the War. (USLAW), Iraqi labor leaders spoke in San Jose on June 19. Funds raised for the Iraq labor tour San Jose stop stand at $2667, almost all of which has been remitted to the USLAW DC office already.

Total raised today was $1010 ($454 at the door, $556 from the pitch, including $150 from a last minute appeal). Sponsors and groups donating funds and effort were recognized for their contributions.

Thanks to everyone for their help and cooperation on this. Look for coverage in Monday's San Jose Mercury. Oil Workers Fight for Improvements by Becky Bartindale. June 20, 2005, and San Francisco Chronicle of June 12, 2005, Iraqi Unions Claim Their Voice by David Bacon. For ongoing coverage see U. S. Labor Against War

Today's event, held at SEIU Local 715, drew well over a 100 labor and community activists. Guests were accompanied into the hall by members of the uniformed ILWU drill team. Kristy Sermersheim, Executive Secretary of Local 715 welcomed the guests and all to the union headquarters.

David Bacon displayed slides of his recent trip to Basrah and reported on the dedication of Iraqi workers to rank-and-file organizing and their opposition to privatization.

Brothers Hassan Juma'a Awad Al Asade and Faleh Abbood Umara outlined various
aspects of their struggle for union rights, recognition, and better wages and working conditions, in addition to their opposition to privatization of the oil sector. For example, their union succeeded in stopping the loss of their livelihoods by striking to maintain their jobs which were being given to foreign contract workers.

The oil workers and other unionists have no doubt that they will be able to solve the problems of security and restoring the oil facilities to productivity once the occupation is lifted.

In Iraq, they imagined (and had no reason to doubt, based on news reports) that all Americans support the occupation. They saluted the audience with raised fists and invited everyone to visit them in the "City of Palms" when peace returns.

Many interesting questions were raised, such as participation of women in Iraqi unions. Brother Hassan reported that a top officer of the oil workers (GUOW) is a woman and 35% of the union members are women. Some asked if Iraq would have a civil war or break down into sectarian chaos if the US withdraws. The Iraqis stated that Sunni, Shia, and Kurds would always know how to reconcile because of the character of Iraqi culture and historical experience.

At a meeting Saturday in Los Angeles, Representative Maxine Waters was in attendance. Today, a letter from Representative Barbara Lee welcoming the delegation to Berkeley and calling for an immediate end to the occupation was read to the San Jose audience. (A Berkeley event for the Iraqis followed the one in San Jose).

Meant, in part, to support Iraqi trade unions, today's moving presentation by brothers Juma'a Awad and Abbood Umara served also to encourage and strengthen us to continue and increase the pressure for an end to occupation and for reparations for the illegal war against Iraq.

John Cunningham, South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice
Photos by Joan Bazar

Endorsers include the Civil and Human Rights Committee of SEIU 715, the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice, San Jose Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the Social Education and Action Committee of the Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, and South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice. To obtain more information, call 408-241-2868 or e-mail South Bay Labor for Peace.



For background on the oil workers and their struggle against privatization, see http://vitw.org/archives/928 on the Voices in the Wilderness site.
Many questions have been asked about this tour because of the blackout on real news of the labor movement in Iraq, and criticism of the IFTU, one of the three federations represented on this speaking tour. US Labor Against War has information on the tour and links to some Iraqi trade union sites.



Part of a Nationwide Movement

More than 250 local, regional, state and national labor organizations across the country - representing more than 5 million American workers - have passed resolutions opposing Bush’s war abroad and the related attacks on civil liberties, economic rights and working people at home.

Locally, the South Bay Labor Council, CWA 9423, HERE 19, UFCW 428, SEIU 715, SEIU 250, SEIU 1877, SEIU 535, CSEA, Musicians Local 153, Sign & Display Local 510, Laborers Local 270, Painters & Tapers 913, and Plumbers & Fitters 393 are some of the unions that have come out against the war. Other local labor committees for peace and justice include the Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice (in the East Bay and San Francisco) and Santa Cruz Labor for Peace and Justice.

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On Jan. 11, 2003, trade unionists from 76 labor bodies representing more than 2 million members met to launch a new organization called U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW), to help build coordinated labor action against the war. USLAW held a national Labor Day for Peace on March 12 and continues to engage in education and mobilization efforts to stop the war. On Oct. 24-25, 2003, USLAW affiliates convened a National Labor Assembly for Peace at which they forged an ongoing coalition that will challenge the policy of permanent war and its consequences for working families at home and abroad.