FightingUnionCaucusEasternIowa

Forgeaclassstruggleleadershipoftheunions! UniteLabor,BlackandBrowntofightforafairworkerseconomy! Whatwestandfor:

1. Break with the Democrats/Republicans! For a multiracial workers party to fight for a workers government! Run independent labor candidates on the full transitional demands found in our caucus platform. 2. Defend Chapter 20. No layoffs and no furloughs! For united AFSCME, UECOGS, SEIU, ICEA, Teamster and Building & Trades opposition to state budget cuts and austerity! Organize University of Iowa Professional & Scientific. Organize University contract, student and temp workers at full union wages and benefits. Down with outsourcing and privatization! No to two-tier wage systems or second-class workers! No concessions, no givebacks and no shared sacrifice! Build strike funds! Build one state workers union with multiple units. For united negotiations, one master contract and a united expiration date for state workers. 3. Arm the unions with the strike weapon! For picket lines that no one crosses! Revive the class struggle tactics that built the unions: mass picket lines, sitdown strikes, flying picket squads, hot-cargoing, solidarity strikes, indefinite general strikes and defiance of the bosses' courts/laws. Defy the injunctions! Smash Taft-Hartley and all other anti-labor laws through militant labor struggle! The only illegal strike is the one that loses! No to binding arbitration! No reliance on the courts or NLRB/PERB! 4. The right to a job is the right of every worker. Not divisive Local Jobs for Local Workers, but fight for full employment for all. For a 30 Hour workweek at 40 hours pay to share existing work with a 100% COLA to keep pace with inflation! For a retroactive 10 year COLA. 5. Unite the multi-racial, multi-ethnic working class. Organize the unorganized "wall-to-wall"! Build unemployed leagues allied with the unions to fight for relief for the unemployed! No time limit on unemployment benefits. For union hiring-halls. For union-run training programs for the unemployed. Direct the newly trained unemployed to worker controlled public works programs. 6. Defend Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, welfare and other social programs. Open the books of finance capital! Not Tax the Rich welfare state schemes but nationalize banks and major industry without compensation and run them under workers control. For a system of public works to create jobs and rebuild the decaying infrastructure of America. 7. For full union democracy. No secret negotiations or backroom deals! No union officer should be paid more than the highest paid worker. For all union positions to be elected, not appointed. For the right to immediate recall of all union officials. Build a strong stewards movement to organize, activate, mobilize, educate and defend our union brothers and sisters. Government and courts out of the unions. No lawsuits against the unions. Labor must clean its own house!

8. Labor must champion the rights of Blacks, women, Latinos, Asians, immigrants, gays/lesbians and all the oppressed! End discrimination in housing and employment. Equal pay for equal work. Full democratic rights for gays/lesbians/transgender including the right to marriage. Down with racist cop harassment and brutality! For Labor/Black/Brown self-defense guards to stop the KKK/Nazis and racist police terror! 9. Organize undocumented and documented immigrant workers. For immediate full citizenship rights for all immigrants! Down with I.C.E./employer IMAGE program! No deportations! Down with English-only bigotry! Same work, same contract across borders! 10. For socialized medicine! Free quality healthcare for all! Free reproductive services to include free abortion on demand! For free 24-hour childcare. 11. Housing is a right! Mobilize Labor/Black/Brown to stop evictions and foreclosures through rent strikes and blockades! Seize foreclosed housing and abandoned buildings for the homeless and displaced. 12. For racially integrated quality public education. Free public higher education with open admissions and a student stipend. Defend Affirmative Action in education. Labor ally with students to defend public education! For teacher/student/staff control of education. 13. For international labor solidarity! For joint Canadian, American, Mexican and Central American labor struggle! Down with Buy American anti-China campaigns and other chauvinist protectionism. Down with U.S. imperialism! U.S. out of the Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan! Hands off Libya! 14. An injury to one is an injury to all! Revive the traditions of labor solidarity! Unite labor with the broader community for joint defense. Remember Oscar Grant, John Deng, Raheim Brown, Eric Shaw: Remember all victims of racist police terror and violence! Support Cedar Rapids Iowa Flood Survivors! Defend Bay Area ILWU Local 10! Victory to ILWU Local 21! Support locked out BCTGM American Crystal Sugar workers! Victory to Verizon strikers!

*Organizationalaffiliationforpersonalidentificationpurposesonly FightingUnionCaucuscomposedofmembersofSEIULocal199*andAFSCMELocal12* Website:http://fightingunionia.wordpress.com/ Email:fightingunionia@gmail.com

This caucus platform was developed in consultation with public workers in Iowa (SEIU 199 & AFSCME 12), California CDPH (CAPS, AFSCME & SEIU 1000 members) and California SF Superior Court (SEIU 1021) members & retirees.

Tofacerealitysquarely;nottoseekthelineofleastresistance;tocallthingsbytheirright names;tospeakthetruthtothemasses,nomatterhowbitteritmaybe;nottofearobstacles;to betrueinlittlethingsasinbigones;tobaseonesprogramonthelogicoftheclassstruggle;tobe boldwhenthehourforactionarrives 08/14/2011