International Solidarity with TWU, ATU

Trade unions nationally and internationally have responded to an appeal by the Partisan Defense Committee (see WV No. 862, 20 January) for solidarity with NYC transit unions facing massive fines and possible jailing of their leaders following their strike in December, which defied the state Taylor Law’s ban on public workers strikes. The unions have sent protest letters to New York State attorney general Eliot Spitzer, Governor George Pataki and NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg demanding no reprisals against Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) locals 726 and 1056, as well as messages of support to the unions.

As Chicago ATU Local 308’s letter to Pataki stated, the threats against the transit unions “prove once again that the supposed rights of the population are in fact honored only in the breach when it comes to working people, the poor and minorities.” Demonstrating the impact of the strike internationally was a letter to TWU Local 100 from the Betriebsrat der Gesamthafenarbeiter (port workers council) in Hamburg, Germany, which recently shut down the port to protest threatened anti-union legislation (see article, page 12). The letter stated: “Your strike in defiance of the vicious anti-union Taylor law was an absolutely necessary stand to stop mounting attacks against the transport workers of New York City. Your strike set an example for the other NYC workers, as well as working people across the U.S. and internationally.”

Other messages of solidarity include letters from Teamsters Local 813 sanitation workers and AFSCME District Council 1707 in New York City, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 2200 in Pasadena, AFSCME Local 444 water utility workers in Oakland, and Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 9 in San Bruno, California, which has been victimized by Northwest Airlines’ vicious union-busting. Unions in Britain, Ireland, France and Italy have also issued protest letters.

The court hearing for the TWU and ATU locals, originally scheduled for January 20, has been postponed to March 3. All of labor must take a stand with the NYC transit unions. Down with the Taylor Law! Defend the right to strike!