US Labor Against Racism and War
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 USLARW logo | |
| Formation | January 11, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 2023 |
US Labor Against Racism and War (USLARW), previously named US Labor Against the War (USLAW), was an anti-war, anti-racist labor organization in the United States. USLAW formed in 2003 to oppose the invasion of Iraq and became defunct in 2023.
Notable members included Michael Letwin, Amy Newell, and Nancy Wohlforth.
Ideology
[edit]USLAW sought to connect domestic US labor demands with opposition to US wars abroad. For example, in 2005, USLAW stated: "This is not an 'extra issue.' [....] We cannot achieve any of labor's goals[,] such as major health care and pension reform, the government-funded rebuilding of the Gulf Coast[, or] the strengthening of our endangered public services, without ending this war."[1]
History
[edit]In January 2003, more than 100 delegates from unions representing more than 2 million members founded USLAW at a Chicago convention.[2]
In 2005, the AFL-CIO convention passed "Resolution 53: The War in Iraq", which demanded that the United States "bring" its soldiers "home rapidly" from Iraq.[3] The resolution passed overwhelmingly. This was the first time that the AFL-CIO had ever opposed US foreign policy.[4] USLAW was essential to the passage of this resolution. At the AFL-CIO convention, USLAW whipped at least 150 delegates to oppose moderate language promoted by the conservative AFL-CIO leadership.[4] Since 2005, the AFL-CIO has repeatedly passed anti-war resolutions, including in 2009 ("Resolution 52: Bring All the Troops and Contractors Home!"), 2013 ("Resolution 25: International Labor Solidarity Is More Than a Slogan"), and 2017 ("Resolution 50: War Is Not the Answer").
In 2010, USLAW endorsed The Good Soldier.[5]
In 2020, following the George Floyd protests, USLAW renamed itself to US Labor Against Racism and War.[6]
National conventions
[edit]| Name | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 National Assembly | Silver Spring, Maryland | April 15–17, 2016 | |
| 3rd National Assembly | Chicago, Illinois | December 4–6, 2009 | |
| 2nd National Assembly | Cleveland, Ohio | December 1–3, 2006 | |
| National Labor Assembly for Peace | Chicago, Illinois | October 24–25, 2004 | |
| Founding Convention | Chicago, Illinois | January 11, 2003 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Growing Labor and Popular Opposition to the War in Iraq and the War on Working People at Home" (PDF). US Labor Against the War. December 3, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2006.
- ^ "UE Endorses Goals Of Labor Against War". United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America. January 21, 2003. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022.
- ^ "Resolution 53: The War in Iraq". AFL-CIO. July 25, 2005.
- ^ a b Sears, John Bennett (September 2010). "Peace Work: The Antiwar Tradition in American Labor from the Cold War to the Iraq War". Diplomatic History. 34 (4): 699–720. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7709.2010.00883.x.
In the summer of 2005 in Chicago, the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) convention passed a groundbreaking resolution. After vigorous debate, the convention went on record calling for a "rapid withdrawal" of all U.S. troops from Iraq. The vote was overwhelming and brought loud cheers from the delegates.1 For the first time in its fifty-year history the federation took a position on an international issue in opposition to official U.S. foreign policy.
- ^ "US Labor Against the War: The Good Soldier - A Powerful New Documentary Opens in November". US Labor Against the War. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010.
- ^ "US Labor Against Racism and War". US Labor Against Racism and War. September 20, 2020. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020.