Another Union Resolution in Defense of Voting Rights in the Trump Era

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The following resolution was passed yesterday by the membership of the Adult School Teachers United (ASTU) of Richmond California. I think that it does an excellent job of defending the right to vote and in how it proposed a united front against any attempted coup by Trump reaching out to all (Democrats, Republicans, independents, ...) while standing up against racism and police terror. The resolution also calls for, "....all Bay Area teachers unions to meet within four days (Saturday, Nov. 7) of the election to plan joint action."  and also for all unions across the US that signed a previous statement initiated by the UE two months ago to take action.  ASTU can be reached via Kristen Pursley, ASTU president at Kpursley@Pacbell.net and Bob Mandel at communard2@Juno.com
Jack Gerson, Retired Oakland CA Teacher.

Whereas the right to vote is one of the key protections for working class people against the untrammeled rule of the rich and powerful,

Whereas the struggle for this democratic right has spanned centuries, and only after fierce battles been extended to non-property owners, to women, and still only tenuously to African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and other people of color,

Whereas in U.S. society anti-labor policies greatly reducing union membership and Mass Incarceration backed by police terror have already put the rights of millions of working class people at risk,

Whereas Democrat, socialist, independent or Republican, all working class people must take the strongest steps to oppose outright dictatorship,

Resolved ASTU stands ready to strike against any attempted coup by Trump.

Further Resolved: We call on all Bay Area teachers unions to meet within four days (Saturday, Nov. 7) of the election to plan joint action.

Further Resolved: We call on the United Electrical Workers and all the unions

which signed its call, including such major teachers locals as UTLA, CTU, the Detroit Federation, OEA and UTR, to hold a national meeting within one week of the election to organize mass working class united front strike action,

Finally Resolved: We urge the ILWU which shut down the coast on Juneteenth,

and other workers including the unorganized to join this united front action.