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Labor Activists Launch New Organization to Challenge AFL-CIO Foreign Policy
The Labor Education Project On AFL-CIO International Operations held a founding conference in Washington, DC to expose the role of the AFL-CIO which receives $75 million a year for their "Solidarity Center" and the role of the CIA, NED and AID in colluding with the US government for coups and labor imperialism. They also called for the full opening of the books of the AFL-CIO on their international operations.
Labor Activists Launch New Organization to Challenge AFL-CIO Foreign Policy
By Kim Scipes - June 3, 2022
Educational conference on April 9th which was part of an ongoing effort to expose AFL-CIO connection to U.S. imperialism in South America. [Source: Photo courtesy of Thomas O’Rourke]
Labor activists from across the country, members of a number of unions, publicly announced the creation of LEPAIO, the Labor Education Project on the AFL-CIO International Operations, over the weekend of April 8-9. They held a press conference outside AFL-CIO headquarters on 16th Street in Washington, D.C., on April 8th, and followed with a four-hour educational conference at the University of the District of Columbia the following day.
This is the first project to focus on AFL-CIO operations around the globe since efforts to pass the “Build Unity and Trust Among Workers World-wide” resolution at the AFL-CIO’s 2005 National Convention in Chicago.
This new project, LEPAIO, is hoping to build support leading to the AFL-CIO’s 2022 National Convention in Philadelphia on June 12-15.
Speakers at the educational conference spoke on a number of issues, noting that the education conference on April 9th came on the 20th anniversary of the attempted (but failed) coup against democratically elected President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez.
Speakers Margaret Flowers, William Camacaro, and James Patrick Jordan spoke of the on-going U.S. attacks on Venezuela that continue today, particularly through economic sanctions supported by the AFL-CIO.
Green Party Senate nominee Margaret Flowers seeks radical shift in U.S. policies
The Role Of The AFL-CIO In The 2002 Attempted Coup In Venezuela With William Camacaro - YouTubeWilliam Camacaro [Source: youtube.com]
This writer later noted the similarities between the 2002 attempted coup in Venezuela and the 1973 Chilean coup that overthrew democratically elected Salvador Allende, about which the AFL-CIO’s involvement in the latter through its American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) had been revealed by the late Fred Hirsch of Plumbers and Pipefitters #393 in San Jose, California, in 1974.
A person smiling for the camera
Description automatically generated with medium confidence
David Hemson [Source: sahistory.org.za]
These talks were followed by a heart-felt talk by David Hemson about how the progressive non-racial unions of South Africa were created, beginning with the mass strikes in Durban in 1973. Hemson had been one of the original organizers there.
Hemson spoke about how the AFL-CIO had supported the apartheid regime, especially through the on-going support of Zulu Chief Gatscha Buthelezi. Buthelezi and his people had physically attacked COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) members and affiliated unions in an internal war in the early 1990s in the province of Kwa-Zula/Natal. The AFL-CIO, ironically, had given Buthelezi the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Award for Human Rights in 1982.
Zulu leader: Chief Gatsha Buthelezi denounced those advocating violence to fight apartheid – All Items – Digital Archive : Toronto Public Library
Chief Gatscha Buthelezi [Source: digitalarchive.tpl.ca]
Lou Wolf of CovertAction Magazine talked about the CIA’s operations around the world, and AFL-CIO involvement in their operations. (For example, see Rob McKenzie’s new book, El Golpe: US Labor, the CIA and the Coup at Ford in Mexico, recently published by Pluto Press.)
Lou Wolf speaking via Zoom. [Photo courtesy of Thomas O’Rourke]
This author followed, talking briefly about the AFL-CIO operations in Chile, the Philippines and Venezuela. However, most of my talk was about current events, with the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center serving as one of the four core “institutes” of the Reagan administration-created National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Prior to the development of the NED, the U.S. would intervene in response to social crises in countries it deemed important to its global empire; this was the case in Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Brazil (1964) and Chile (1973)—all of which first the AFL and then the AFL-CIO participated in other than Iran—and in each case, overthrew the respective democratically elected government.
A sign on the side of a building
Description automatically generated with low confidence
[Source: wikipedia.org]
However, exposures of these operations during the 1970s resulted in the development of the NED and a shift toward intervention before-hand, where they developed and/or found organizations that would support U.S. operations before a crisis would develop. (This happened after their work in El Salvador in the early 1980s, where they definitely intervened in response to the revolutionary upsurge.) NED has supported these organizations with considerable amounts of money so as to give them considerable sway in the future direction of their country.
There are four “core institutes” of the NED: the international wing of the Democratic Party, the international wing of the Republican Party, the international wing of the US Chamber of Commerce, and the Solidarity Center of the AFL-CIO. These are the organizations at the heart of the NED and its operations. And whatever one thinks about either the Democrats or the Republicans, labor collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce is despicable.
That does not mean that the Solidarity Center’s particular operations are necessarily evil, as was true of predecessor “institutes” in Africa, Asia and Latin America; there have been some projects where they have been helpful or at least “not evil.” However, the fact is that the AFL-CIO is complicit in the NED, which is designed to maintain the dominance of the U.S. Empire and its capitalist infrastructure.
Frank Hammer then discussed the assassination of his brother, Michael, along with two associates, in El Salvador while working on “land reform” for AIFLD in 1981. The U.S.-funded land reforms combined with right-wing military repression in the countryside were designed to defeat the revolutionary upsurge by the peasantry. Hammer noted that it was the oligarchs, that AIFLD was trying to protect, who were responsible for the assassination.
Funeral proceedings for Michael Hammer who was assassinated after working on AIFLD land reform initiatives in El Salvador. [Source: arlingtoncemetary.net]
Following Hammer, Carol Lang spoke about the Histadrut, a long-time colonialist project in Israel, designed to maintain Palestinian and Arab worker subjugation, and which has long been supported by the AFL-CIO, particularly by getting member unions to purchase Israel Bonds that support the apartheid state.
And finally, Steve Zeltzer spoke on Solidarity Center ties to right-wing labor in Ukraine. Zeltzer again called for the AFL-CIO to “open its books” on their foreign operations.
In short, what was presented was a vehement condemnation of the AFL-CIO’s international operations from a global perspective, and an argument that we cannot have a labor movement promoting popular democracy at home while supporting fascism elsewhere. We must unite directly with workers around the world and must do so if growing crises, like climate change, war, suppression of labor rights, etc., are to be challenged.
In response, conference attendees (in person and via Zoom) passed a strong resolution that is now on the LEPAIO website: https://aflcio-int.education/.
The Educational Conference in Philly will take place on Saturday, June 11, from 1:00-5:00 pm at The Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Resolution To End Government Funding Of The International Operations Of The AFL-CIO And Open The Books Of The AFL-CIO
https://aflcio-int.education/resolution-to-end-government-funding-of-the-international-operations-of-the-afl-cio-and-open-the-books-of-the-afl-cio/
1. Whereas, working people and members of the AFL-CIO have the right to transparency about the operations of their unions and,
2. Whereas, the AFL-CIO has collaborated with the CIA, Agency For International development AID and the National Endowment for Democracy NED and,
3. Whereas, workers around the world and their unions have faced attacks and subversion by this collaboration of the AFL-CIO leadership and,
4. Whereas, a democratic independent trade union movement must not be funded by governments and,
5. Whereas, we need real worker to worker direct solidarity and education of our mutual issues and needs and,
6. Whereas, US labor faces the same attack as workers around the world of privatization, deregulation, union busting and the growth of fascist forces and,
7. Whereas, the $75 million a year the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center compromises the independence of our trade union movement and,
8. Whereas, the AFL-CIO awarded the George Meany Award to South African Chief Butthelezi who was involved in organizing armed thugs to attack and murder trade unionists including Jabu Nlovu.
Therefore the AFL-CIO should acknowledge the past anti-labor practices and apologize to trade unionists, worker organizations and their families who have been violently attacked and murdered in attempted coups and other operations and therefore,
Therefore the AFL-CIO should drop ALL contact with the National Endowment for Democracy and reject the $75 million a year it offers in blood money and,
Therefore the AFL-CIO should open all its archives of its international operations and,
Therefore there should be an independent labor investigation of these attacks and deaths and the AFL-CIO should compensate the workers and their families who have faced these attacks on workers rights and,
Therefore AFL-CIO shall withdraw the George Meany award from South African Chief Buthelezi for the attacks and murders of hundreds of trade unionists and their families
Therefore the AFL-CIO will make a public report to the membership of the AFL-CIO on their website for all members and workers to be aware of this record and,
Therefore the AFL-CIO will now rely on self funding and mass financial campaigns of solidarity work with trade unionists and labor around the world
Labor Education Project On AFL-CIO International Operations Video Links
https://aflcio-int.education
The AFL-CIO CIA Attack and Murder Against Mexico City Ford Workers & El Golpe
https://youtu.be/b5E7Db7rYxU
On 20th Anniversary of US AFL-CIO Supported Venezuela Coup Dr. Margaret Flowers Speaks Out
https://youtu.be/l2DEm-MLjyQ
The Role Of The AFL-CIO In The 2002 Attempted Coup In Venezuela With William Camacaro
https://youtu.be/EPEUmRl0FGY
The AFL-CIO,. The US Government & Venezuela: A Report by James Patrick Jordan of AFGJ At LEPAIO Conference
https://youtu.be/j9Lasyx4mpg
The AFL-CIO In South Africa & Jabu Ndlovu WithTrade Union Organizer & Labor Researcher David Hemson
https://youtu.be/s7fN1q0cmdM
The AFL-CIO & The CIA With Louis Wolf
https://youtu.be/uM8JiYIVq1g
US Labor Imperialism & The AFL-CIO With US Labor Historian Kim Scipes
https://youtu.be/ppyBeISp5zQ
The Israeli Histadrut, Zionism, The AFL-CIO & Imperialism With Professor Carol Lang
https://youtu.be/HLtLDS0FbSE
"He Who Pays The Piper Calls The Tune" AFL-CIO AIFLD In El Salvador by Frank Hammer
https://youtu.be/DeeweDdUK2M
The AFL-CIO, Ukraine, Capitalism & US Imperialism
https://youtu.be/go03XXjZJDM
By Kim Scipes - June 3, 2022
Educational conference on April 9th which was part of an ongoing effort to expose AFL-CIO connection to U.S. imperialism in South America. [Source: Photo courtesy of Thomas O’Rourke]
Labor activists from across the country, members of a number of unions, publicly announced the creation of LEPAIO, the Labor Education Project on the AFL-CIO International Operations, over the weekend of April 8-9. They held a press conference outside AFL-CIO headquarters on 16th Street in Washington, D.C., on April 8th, and followed with a four-hour educational conference at the University of the District of Columbia the following day.
This is the first project to focus on AFL-CIO operations around the globe since efforts to pass the “Build Unity and Trust Among Workers World-wide” resolution at the AFL-CIO’s 2005 National Convention in Chicago.
This new project, LEPAIO, is hoping to build support leading to the AFL-CIO’s 2022 National Convention in Philadelphia on June 12-15.
Speakers at the educational conference spoke on a number of issues, noting that the education conference on April 9th came on the 20th anniversary of the attempted (but failed) coup against democratically elected President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez.
Speakers Margaret Flowers, William Camacaro, and James Patrick Jordan spoke of the on-going U.S. attacks on Venezuela that continue today, particularly through economic sanctions supported by the AFL-CIO.
Green Party Senate nominee Margaret Flowers seeks radical shift in U.S. policies
The Role Of The AFL-CIO In The 2002 Attempted Coup In Venezuela With William Camacaro - YouTubeWilliam Camacaro [Source: youtube.com]
This writer later noted the similarities between the 2002 attempted coup in Venezuela and the 1973 Chilean coup that overthrew democratically elected Salvador Allende, about which the AFL-CIO’s involvement in the latter through its American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) had been revealed by the late Fred Hirsch of Plumbers and Pipefitters #393 in San Jose, California, in 1974.
A person smiling for the camera
Description automatically generated with medium confidence
David Hemson [Source: sahistory.org.za]
These talks were followed by a heart-felt talk by David Hemson about how the progressive non-racial unions of South Africa were created, beginning with the mass strikes in Durban in 1973. Hemson had been one of the original organizers there.
Hemson spoke about how the AFL-CIO had supported the apartheid regime, especially through the on-going support of Zulu Chief Gatscha Buthelezi. Buthelezi and his people had physically attacked COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) members and affiliated unions in an internal war in the early 1990s in the province of Kwa-Zula/Natal. The AFL-CIO, ironically, had given Buthelezi the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Award for Human Rights in 1982.
Zulu leader: Chief Gatsha Buthelezi denounced those advocating violence to fight apartheid – All Items – Digital Archive : Toronto Public Library
Chief Gatscha Buthelezi [Source: digitalarchive.tpl.ca]
Lou Wolf of CovertAction Magazine talked about the CIA’s operations around the world, and AFL-CIO involvement in their operations. (For example, see Rob McKenzie’s new book, El Golpe: US Labor, the CIA and the Coup at Ford in Mexico, recently published by Pluto Press.)
Lou Wolf speaking via Zoom. [Photo courtesy of Thomas O’Rourke]
This author followed, talking briefly about the AFL-CIO operations in Chile, the Philippines and Venezuela. However, most of my talk was about current events, with the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center serving as one of the four core “institutes” of the Reagan administration-created National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Prior to the development of the NED, the U.S. would intervene in response to social crises in countries it deemed important to its global empire; this was the case in Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Brazil (1964) and Chile (1973)—all of which first the AFL and then the AFL-CIO participated in other than Iran—and in each case, overthrew the respective democratically elected government.
A sign on the side of a building
Description automatically generated with low confidence
[Source: wikipedia.org]
However, exposures of these operations during the 1970s resulted in the development of the NED and a shift toward intervention before-hand, where they developed and/or found organizations that would support U.S. operations before a crisis would develop. (This happened after their work in El Salvador in the early 1980s, where they definitely intervened in response to the revolutionary upsurge.) NED has supported these organizations with considerable amounts of money so as to give them considerable sway in the future direction of their country.
There are four “core institutes” of the NED: the international wing of the Democratic Party, the international wing of the Republican Party, the international wing of the US Chamber of Commerce, and the Solidarity Center of the AFL-CIO. These are the organizations at the heart of the NED and its operations. And whatever one thinks about either the Democrats or the Republicans, labor collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce is despicable.
That does not mean that the Solidarity Center’s particular operations are necessarily evil, as was true of predecessor “institutes” in Africa, Asia and Latin America; there have been some projects where they have been helpful or at least “not evil.” However, the fact is that the AFL-CIO is complicit in the NED, which is designed to maintain the dominance of the U.S. Empire and its capitalist infrastructure.
Frank Hammer then discussed the assassination of his brother, Michael, along with two associates, in El Salvador while working on “land reform” for AIFLD in 1981. The U.S.-funded land reforms combined with right-wing military repression in the countryside were designed to defeat the revolutionary upsurge by the peasantry. Hammer noted that it was the oligarchs, that AIFLD was trying to protect, who were responsible for the assassination.
Funeral proceedings for Michael Hammer who was assassinated after working on AIFLD land reform initiatives in El Salvador. [Source: arlingtoncemetary.net]
Following Hammer, Carol Lang spoke about the Histadrut, a long-time colonialist project in Israel, designed to maintain Palestinian and Arab worker subjugation, and which has long been supported by the AFL-CIO, particularly by getting member unions to purchase Israel Bonds that support the apartheid state.
And finally, Steve Zeltzer spoke on Solidarity Center ties to right-wing labor in Ukraine. Zeltzer again called for the AFL-CIO to “open its books” on their foreign operations.
In short, what was presented was a vehement condemnation of the AFL-CIO’s international operations from a global perspective, and an argument that we cannot have a labor movement promoting popular democracy at home while supporting fascism elsewhere. We must unite directly with workers around the world and must do so if growing crises, like climate change, war, suppression of labor rights, etc., are to be challenged.
In response, conference attendees (in person and via Zoom) passed a strong resolution that is now on the LEPAIO website: https://aflcio-int.education/.
The Educational Conference in Philly will take place on Saturday, June 11, from 1:00-5:00 pm at The Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Resolution To End Government Funding Of The International Operations Of The AFL-CIO And Open The Books Of The AFL-CIO
https://aflcio-int.education/resolution-to-end-government-funding-of-the-international-operations-of-the-afl-cio-and-open-the-books-of-the-afl-cio/
1. Whereas, working people and members of the AFL-CIO have the right to transparency about the operations of their unions and,
2. Whereas, the AFL-CIO has collaborated with the CIA, Agency For International development AID and the National Endowment for Democracy NED and,
3. Whereas, workers around the world and their unions have faced attacks and subversion by this collaboration of the AFL-CIO leadership and,
4. Whereas, a democratic independent trade union movement must not be funded by governments and,
5. Whereas, we need real worker to worker direct solidarity and education of our mutual issues and needs and,
6. Whereas, US labor faces the same attack as workers around the world of privatization, deregulation, union busting and the growth of fascist forces and,
7. Whereas, the $75 million a year the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center compromises the independence of our trade union movement and,
8. Whereas, the AFL-CIO awarded the George Meany Award to South African Chief Butthelezi who was involved in organizing armed thugs to attack and murder trade unionists including Jabu Nlovu.
Therefore the AFL-CIO should acknowledge the past anti-labor practices and apologize to trade unionists, worker organizations and their families who have been violently attacked and murdered in attempted coups and other operations and therefore,
Therefore the AFL-CIO should drop ALL contact with the National Endowment for Democracy and reject the $75 million a year it offers in blood money and,
Therefore the AFL-CIO should open all its archives of its international operations and,
Therefore there should be an independent labor investigation of these attacks and deaths and the AFL-CIO should compensate the workers and their families who have faced these attacks on workers rights and,
Therefore AFL-CIO shall withdraw the George Meany award from South African Chief Buthelezi for the attacks and murders of hundreds of trade unionists and their families
Therefore the AFL-CIO will make a public report to the membership of the AFL-CIO on their website for all members and workers to be aware of this record and,
Therefore the AFL-CIO will now rely on self funding and mass financial campaigns of solidarity work with trade unionists and labor around the world
Labor Education Project On AFL-CIO International Operations Video Links
https://aflcio-int.education
The AFL-CIO CIA Attack and Murder Against Mexico City Ford Workers & El Golpe
https://youtu.be/b5E7Db7rYxU
On 20th Anniversary of US AFL-CIO Supported Venezuela Coup Dr. Margaret Flowers Speaks Out
https://youtu.be/l2DEm-MLjyQ
The Role Of The AFL-CIO In The 2002 Attempted Coup In Venezuela With William Camacaro
https://youtu.be/EPEUmRl0FGY
The AFL-CIO,. The US Government & Venezuela: A Report by James Patrick Jordan of AFGJ At LEPAIO Conference
https://youtu.be/j9Lasyx4mpg
The AFL-CIO In South Africa & Jabu Ndlovu WithTrade Union Organizer & Labor Researcher David Hemson
https://youtu.be/s7fN1q0cmdM
The AFL-CIO & The CIA With Louis Wolf
https://youtu.be/uM8JiYIVq1g
US Labor Imperialism & The AFL-CIO With US Labor Historian Kim Scipes
https://youtu.be/ppyBeISp5zQ
The Israeli Histadrut, Zionism, The AFL-CIO & Imperialism With Professor Carol Lang
https://youtu.be/HLtLDS0FbSE
"He Who Pays The Piper Calls The Tune" AFL-CIO AIFLD In El Salvador by Frank Hammer
https://youtu.be/DeeweDdUK2M
The AFL-CIO, Ukraine, Capitalism & US Imperialism
https://youtu.be/go03XXjZJDM
For more information:
https://covertactionmagazine.com/2022/06/0...
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