SEIU Local 26 Resolution Condemning Government Attacks on Anti-War, International Solidarity, and Labor Activists

Whereas, on September 24, 2010, the FBI raided the homes and offices of anti-war, international solidarity and trade union activists in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan and served subpoenas to 14 people to testify before a federal grand jury regarding their anti-war and international solidarity efforts; and

Whereas, 10 of the 14 people subpoenaed are union members in good standing with a long history of activism and leadership within their unions and their local labor communities; and

Whereas, four days prior to the September 24 raids, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States revealed that the FBI has systematically and wrongly spied on political activists; and

Whereas, fight for free speech in the 1910s to the major labor-inspired civil liberties court decisions of the 1930s, the labor movement has often been in the forefront of defending the right to speak and protest.

Therefore Be It Resolved: That SEIU local 26 goes on record as expressing its grave concern that the recent FBI raids are reminiscent of the Palmer Raids of the 1920’s, the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s, and the FBI’s harassment of the civil rights movement, and our grave concern that these raids be the beginning of a new and dangerous assault on the First Amendment rights of every union fighter, international solidarity activist or anti-war campaigner and,

Be It Finally Resolved: That in light of the Inspector General’s recent report, SEIU local 26 calls upon President Obama to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances, motivation and propriety of the judicial and police intimidation of our members and others.