For the first time in the state's history, Connecticut labor unions endorsed and mobilized for the March 19th demonstration against the war in Iraq. Close to 1,500 people from across the state gathered at the Old State House in Hartford. Encouraged by US Labor Against the War (USLAW),unions supporting the rally included the Connecticut AFL-CIO, District 1199/SEIU New England, AFT Connecticut, UAW Region 9a State CAP Council and the Greater Hartford Labor Council.
Speaking on behalf of Labor, Juan Hernandez from SEIU Local 32 BJ told the crowd that “since September 11th, working people have gotten poorer and Halliburton has gotten richer."
Also speaking at the event were CT AFL-CIO president John Olsen and Dave Ionno, a Veterans for Peace member who is also a local union activist. Rabbi Donna Berman spoke about the toll the war has taken on American civil liberties. Other speakers included Houzan Mahmoud from the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq and Jessica White from Military Families Speak Out. A number of local elected officials also endorsed and attended.
Labor unions not only turned out their members for the demonstration, they provided significant material aid. Weekly planning meetings and phone banks by the sponsor group, Connecticut Opposes the War, took place at the 1199 health care workers union hall. Local labor activists organized a bus from New Haven donated by 1199, AFT, and the Hartford Labor Council.
The rally was held across the street from the district office of Senator Joseph Lieberman, the prominent Democrat who has been an unapologetic supporter of the war since 2003. In December, 55,000 petition signatures were delivered to Lieberman's office demanding that he support U.S. withdrawal form Iraq.
“Our union has a proud history of actively opposing unjust wars since Vietnam,” said John Connor, an 1199 New England member who was at Sunday's rally holding the union's “Healthcare Not Warfare” banner. “More than three years ago we took the issue of the impending war to our Delegate Assembly where over 300 leaders debated taking a stand. They voted overwhelmingly to oppose the war. That's what led us to helping organize USLAW on a national level.”
One day earlier, hundreds marched in New Haven to end the war and support a number of other causes.
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