The AFL-CIO, US Foreign Policy and Worker to Worker Solidarity

Saturday June 11, 2pm • Philadelphia Ethical Society
1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Or tune in online via Zoom: tinyurl.com/LEPAIOJune11
Why is the AFL-CIO receiving $75 million per year from the US government for its international operations through the Solidarity Center? • What is the AFL-CIO doing with this money, and why is this information hidden from the public? • How has the AFL-CIO supported US-backed coups and subverted social movements around the world? • How does the AFL-CIO backing of US foreign policy undermine the trade union movement and other movements for justice in the US?

La Gloriosa Victoria by Diego Rivera and Rina Lazo, on the 1954 US coup in Guatemala, actively supported by foreign policy leadership of the American Federation of Labor
PRESENTATIONS AND VIDEOS ON ► AFL-CIO role in undermining unions in apartheid South Africa ► Solidary Center activities in Colombia and Mexico ► The NED and the Solidarity Center ► Labor Zionist collaboration with the AFL-CIO in Israel ► AFL-CIO role in privatization and 2014 coup in Ukraine ► Solidarity Center support for regime change in Venezuela, with film: Enter the Oil Workers ► Video presentation on the new book El Golpe: US Labor, the CIA, and the Coup at Ford in Mexico. WITH DISCUSSION AND NEXT ACTION STEPS!
Open the books! Transparency Now!
No government $$ for AFL-CIO Solidarity Center!
Sponsored by: Labor Education Project on AFL-CIO International Operations (LEPAIO) web: http://aflcio-int.education
email: info(at)aflcio-int.education For info, call/text Tom at 202-365-7297
LEPIAO includes US and international trade unionists, Alliance for Global Justice, Covert Action Magazine, Global Women’s Strike, Payday men’s network, United Front Committee for a Labor Party, independent journalists, labor historians, others
SEE BELOW: Resolution To End Government Funding Of The International Operations Of The AFL-CIO And Open The Books Of The AFL-CIO
Time For Real Labor Internationalism
An honest conversation about the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center and its subversive role in the international workers’ movement
The AFL-CIO is holding its national convention June 11-15 in Philadelphia. Its guiding theme is building an international solidarity movement with emerging “independent” unions in the global south, especially in Mexico. The “Meany-Kirkland Human Rights Award” is slated to be presented to a fledgling new union (SINTTIA) representing GM autoworkers in Silao, Mexico.
Before you begin to cheer what appears to be the AFL-CIO turning over a new leaf, we in the newly formed LEPAIO – the Labor Education Project on the AFL-CIO International Operations – believe the AFL-CIO leadership owes some answers to the US labor movement and all workers – waged and unwaged.
► How can the Federation claim to be building independent labor organizations abroad, when it is tied by a thousand strings to furthering the U.S. government’s pro-capitalist, pro-corporate and anti-worker foreign policy?
The AFL-CIO’s organization abroad, the Solidarity Center, is parading itself as “assisting” workers in forming “independent” unions. Yet the Solidarity Center itself is not “independent.” It is almost entirely funded by the U.S. government through various conduits, including an entity called the “National Endowment for Democracy” or NED – to the tune of $75 million in just 2021. Allen Weinstein, the first director of the NED, declared in 1991: “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA.” It’s no secret that the AFL-CIO has been in cahoots with corrupt labor organizations in Mexico for decades.
► Why the abrupt about face, and why now? If they are recognizing the error of their ways in supporting anti-democratic, pro-business and even murderous union bureaucrats and corrupt governmental officials in the past, why are they rejecting an open discussion about what led to their disastrous policies and what it will take to correct them? Why do they refuse to be held accountable?
On June 11, 2022 we are holding an educational forum to coincide with the AFL-CIO’s convention, to address these and other pressing issues facing union delegates wanting to represent the real interests of workers. Let’s collaborate on building a real international labor movement built on workers’ democracy and direct worker to worker solidarity against the capitalists and transnational corporations that are running - and destroying - the world.

(Español abajo)
Resolution To End Government Funding Of The International Operations Of The AFL-CIO And Open The Books Of The AFL-CIO
The AFL-CIO should now rely on self-funding and mass financial campaigns of solidarity work with trade unionists and labor around the world.
See LEPAIO website: http://aflcio-int.education
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 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

Resolución para acabar con el financiamiento gubernamental de las operaciones internacionales de la AFL-CIO y abrir los libros de la AFL-CIO
1. Considerando que los trabajadores y miembros de la AFL-CIO tienen derecho a la transparencia sobre las operaciones de sus sindicatos y,
2. Considerando que la AFL-CIO ha colaborado con la CIA, la Agencia para el Desarrollo Internacional AID y el National Endowment for Democracy NED y,
3. Considerando que los trabajadores de todo el mundo y sus sindicatos han enfrentado ataques y subversión por esta colaboración de la dirección de la AFL-CIO y,
4. Considerando que un movimiento sindical independiente democrático no debe ser financiado por los gobiernos y,
5. Considerando que necesitamos una verdadera solidaridad directa de trabajador a trabajador y educación sobre nuestros problemas y necesidades mutuos y,
6. Considerando que los trabajadores de EE. UU. enfrentan el mismo ataque que los trabajadores de todo el mundo de la privatización, la desregulación, la destrucción de sindicatos y el crecimiento de las fuerzas fascistas y,
7. Considerando que los $75 millones anuales del Centro de Solidaridad de la AFL-CIO comprometen la independencia de nuestro movimiento sindical y,
8. Considerando que la AFL-CIO otorgó el Premio George Meany al jefe sudafricano Butthelezi, quien participó en la organización de matones armados para atacar y asesinar a sindicalistas, incluido Jabu Nlovu.

► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO debe reconocer las prácticas antisindicales del pasado y disculparse con los sindicalistas, las organizaciones de trabajadores y sus familias que han sido violentamente atacados y asesinados en intentos de golpe de estado y otras operaciones y, por lo tanto,
► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO debería abandonar TODO contacto con el National Endowment for Democracy y rechazar los $75 millones al año que ofrece como dinero sangriento y,
► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO debería abrir todos los archivos de sus operaciones internacionales y,
► Por lo tanto, debe haber una investigación laboral independiente de estos ataques y muertes y la AFL-CIO debe indemnizar a los trabajadores y sus familias que han enfrentado estos ataques a los derechos de los trabajadores y,
► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO retirará el premio George Meany al jefe sudafricano Buthelezi por los ataques y asesinatos de cientos de sindicalistas y sus familias.
► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO hará un informe público a los miembros de la AFL-CIO en su sitio web para que todos los miembros y trabajadores estén al tanto de este registro y,
► Por lo tanto, la AFL-CIO ahora dependerá de la autofinanciación y campañas financieras masivas de trabajo solidario con sindicalistas y trabajadores de todo el mundo.
Labor Education Project on AFL-CIO International Operations (LEPAIO)
web: http://aflcio-int.education • email: info(at)aflcio-int.education