Unionists Nationwide Mark Human Rights Day with Rallies, Marches and Teach-ins

AFT affiliates participated in events around the country to commemorate International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, and rev up the labor movement campaign to restore every worker’s freedom to form a union.

International Human Rights Day marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations and its member states 55 years ago. One of the fundamental freedoms this historic document sets forth is the right to form and join a trade union.

Even though on paper U.S. workers have the right to form unions, current laws are not strong enough to prevent employers from routinely abusing workers’ rights. Peter Hart and Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based research firm, reports that 42 million U.S. workers would form a union today if given the opportunity. Yet workers in the United States are routinely denied their choice to have a union because employers harass, coerce, intimidate--even fire--employees to keep them from exercising this right (see Where We Stand, page 5).

That’s why AFT members and others participated in rallies, teach-ins, vigils and other events, from coast to coast and on Guam, to remind politicians and their communities that organizing a union is a fundamental and universal human right. Here is a sampling of activities:

More than 500 labor activists gathered at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle to observe International Human Rights Day. Steady rain throughout the lunchtime rally didn’t dampen the spirits of the demonstrators who turned out to support striking Dairy Gold workers, hear from elected officials and Washington Labor Council leaders and watch a skit put on by a group called "Billionaires for Bush."

Forty members of the Washington (state) Federation of Teachers came out to advocate on behalf of two tenure-track faculty members at Cascadia College who were terminated after they became involved in forming a union there last year. The state federation is helping the teachers file a suit to have their tenure reinstated.

"It’s a subtle retaliation," says WFT president Sandra Schroeder, but the message is clear. The new union hasn’t been able to make much progress in negotiating its first contract, either.

These are examples, of why the country needs labor law reform, said speakers like U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), and also why a change in the White House would seem to be in order, McDermott said.

Unionists in Northern California, including members of the United Educators of San Francisco, rallied downtown in Union Square in support of the striking employees of Vons, Safeway and Albertson supermarkets. Rally speakers also voiced their support for the rights of immigrant workers not to be exploited.  [Barbara McKenna,  AFT/On Campus]

[February 3, 2004]