|
|
Tri-lateral Peace Summit: In the spirit of Zapata
an article by Tony Dominski
THe First Tri-Lateral Peace Summit took place in February, 2004, at the State University of Puebla, Mexico. Puebla was an appropriate site for this new peace initiative, having been the birthplace of the Zapatista revolt of 1911-1912. The spirit of the Zapatistas permeated the conference. Eighty participants from four countries, Canada, United States, Mexico and Cuba attended. The Cuban Peace Movement was the honored guest.
The conference focused on the relationship between peace and justice issues. The discussion resulted in a twelve point agenda:
1) Abolish NAFTA
2) Support the peaceful revolutionary developments in Venezuela
3) Denounce 'Plan Colombia"
4) End military invention in Haiti
5) End the blockade of Cuba, and free the Cuban Five heroes
6)Reject terrorism
7) Remove all foreign troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and insist that the invaders pay for rebuilding the two countries
8) Make Israel comply with all UN resolutions
9) Strengthen the United Nations
10) Implement global disarmament, particularly nuclear weapons
11) Reallocate military spending to basic human needs, such as water, health and education.
The 12th proposal , "support amnesty for undocumented workers in the USA" was the result of an impassioned presentation on immigrants' rights by a delegate from the USA. The presentation included a description of the Immigrant Wokers' Freedom Ride in September 2003, organized by the AFL-CIO of the US. Additional information about this event may be found in a
CPNN report.
The presenter from the US stated that US corporations have encouraged immigrants to compete with workers already in the US. in order to drive down wages, avoid providing health benefits, and prevent unionizing by encouraging anti-immigrant hatred and racism. The presenter concluded by drawing attention to the fact that an important reason why so many people leave their homelands is the constant imposition of oligarchies and colonial policies by both the US and transnational corporations.
|
|
DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
Should illegal immigrants protected?,
* * * * *
LATEST READER COMMENT:
The news report of a merger between HERE, the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union and UNITE, the clothing, textiles and laundry union, is important news for all workers including illegal immigrants, because these unions are in the forefront of organizing immigrant workers and assuring their rights.
By bringing immigrant workers into the trade union movement, these unions promote worker unity and deny unscrupulous employers the option of pitting one group of workers against another.
This is a great step forward for the American labor movement which did not support union rights for illegal immigrants during the 19th and 20th Centuries.
And, of course, it is a great step forward for immigrant workers at the same time.
The new union will represent 440,000 active members and more than 400,000 retirees throughout North America. The tentative agreement is expected to be ratified with a vote by rank-and-file members at a special joint convention in Chicago in July. . .
UNITE and HERE have collaborated most recently in the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, the successful struggle for a fair contract for Yale workers, and in the current effort to unionize H&M retail and distribution workers. . .
UNITE historically represents workers in the apparel and textile industries, and more recently has organized industrial laundries, distribution centers and workers in light manufacturing. HERE members are in the hospitality industries, working in hotels, airports, casinos, food service, and restaurants. Though there are places where the industries overlap, particularly in hospitality and laundry, the merger is primarily a reflection of the two unions' shared values and priorities: social justice economic opportunity, civil rights, the rights of immigrant workers and a commitment to organizing unrepresented workers. . ...more.
|
|
by program area
Become a CPNN Reporter