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The following is
the text of a resolution adopted Oct. 1 at the convention of AFSCME
Council 5, which represents 30,000-40,000 Minnesota state employees.
Subject: Judicial and Police Intimidation of Union Members.
Submitted by: AFSCME Council 5 Executive Board
Whereas: the homes of three members of AFSCME Local 380 and
the Local 3800 organizer, Jess Sundin, Steff Yorek, Ahn Pham, and Tracy
Mohm were raided by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at
7:00 a.m. on September 24, 2010, and,
Whereas: Tracy Mohm, Jess Sundin, Anh Pham, and Steff Yorek
were issued subpoenas to appear before a grand jury in Chicago in
October, and
Whereas: AFSCME Local 3800 is an affiliate of ASFCME Council
5, and,
Whereas: These members have not been arrested or charged
with any crime, and,
Whereas: These four members in good standing are well-known
and respected activists in our union, and,
Whereas: FBI spokesperson have stated that the raids were
prompted by the activities of these four members, and other individuals
subject to the same raids, pursuant to seeking peace and justice for
workers and other oppressed peoples throughout the world, and,
Whereas: These persons are entitled to a presumption of
innocence under the United States Constitution,
Whereas: Every American has the constitutional right to
advocate and organize for change in the foreign policy of the United
States, and,
Whereas: AFSCME Council 5 takes note of the very recent
report by the Department of Justice Inspector General that soundly
criticized the FBI for improperly targeting domestic peace and antiwar
groups for investigation, and,
Whereas: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees has frequently gone on record in defense of trade unionists
and others to educate, agitate and organize for the legitimate goals of
peace, justice and solidarity with all working people, and
Whereas: The American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees has repeatedly demanded that Congress and the White
House (quote) “disavow and reverse any practices or policies which
threaten trade union rights or civil liberties,” as well as (quote) “opposing
attacks on traditional constitutional guarantees” including in
Resolution No, 156 of the 25th AFSCME International
Convention in 1984 submitted by delegate Peter Benner, and in
Resolution No. 79, adopted by the AFSCME by the 35th AFSCME
convention in 2002 which stated that “AFSCME, a union built out of the
combined struggle of the civil rights and labor movements, take
leadership in opposing granting wider powers to the FBI to infiltrate
community groups and unions in the name of preventing further terrorist
attacks,” (end quote) and,
Therefore Be It Resolved: That AFSCME Council 5 goes on record as expressing
its grave concern that the recent FBI raids are reminiscent of the
Palmer Raids of the 1920s, the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, 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,
Further Be It Resolved: That AFSCME Council 5 finds that no acceptable
justification or evidence has been presented for these raids and
subpoenas and that we have no reason to believe any will be
forthcoming, and,
Further Be It Resolved: That we notify the Minnesota Congressional
Delegation that Council 5 opposes these arbitrary and capricious raids,
and,
Be it Finally Resolved: That in light of the Inspector General’s recent
report that AFSCME Council 5 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.
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