ILWU Convention sets the Agenda

By By Steve Stallone, The Dispatcher

Spurred on by the dire circumstances facing the union and the country, delegates to the ILWU's 32nd International Convention, the highest body in the union, set its agenda for the next three years. At the gathering in San Francisco April 28-May 2 they made dumping Bush in 2004, opposing his war on and occupation of Iraq, pushing for universal healthcare and continuing the union's organising program its priorities.

Convention delegates also approved a three-year budget to fund new programs, and took time to honour retiring long-time officers, to hear from distinguished guest speakers and join the picket by local IBU ferry workers fighting for a fair contract. They also deliberated through a pile of resolutions and Constitutional amendments, diligently fulfilling their duty to decide and guide the union's future.

BASHING BUSH

The opening session of the Convention on Monday morning erupted in a spontaneous chorus of Bush bashing that would continue throughout the week. ILWU International President Jim Spinosa set the tone in his keynote address (see box)

"The single biggest challenge ahead for the ILWU and the entire American labor movement is defeating Bush and the right-wing, anti-worker members of Congress in the 2004 elections," Spinosa told the delegates. "We will be constantly on the defensive and constantly losing ground as long as they run the government. Things are bad now, but if we fail in 2004, the labor movement will face a real nightmare--a second-term Bush who can slash and burn workers without ever having to worry about another election."

Responding to that call, the delegates went on to pass a resolution (P-1) entitled "Take our Country Back: Mobilise for 2004 Elections--Build on Rank and File Political Action." The resolution commits all the union's locals and regions to establish political action programs aimed at defeating Bush and electing pro-worker candidates in 2004 and ensuring that ILWU members and their families are registered to vote. It also requires the ILWU International to provide educational and resource materials on the Bush and Republican anti-worker record for the locals to distribute.

Spinosa's address was preceded by the Reverend Jesse Jackson's invocation. Citing Bush's tax cuts for the rich and huge job losses, Jackson challenged union members.

"Workers are under attack by this administration," Jackson said. "If ever there were a time for a massive march on Washington by workers for jobs, income or health care, it is now. Workers, stand up and fight back."

Spinosa was followed by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka, the second highest officer in the American labor movement. Trumka had spent the last six weeks of the recent longshore contract negotiations at the table with the union's Negotiating Committee, helping achieve the victory and forging stronger fraternal bonds between the federation and the ILWU. Trumka told the convention that the AFL-CIO is going all out to defeat Bush and said he was pleased to see the ILWU on board with that effort.

"We must run George Bush out of the White House in 2004," Trumka said.

Trumka went on to reiterate the AFL-CIO's commitment to organising as the union movement's only way to survive and thrive.

"More and more and more AFL-CIO unions are making the critical decision to invest more money in organising and to change the way that we organise. I know that the ILWU is doing just that. I applaud you for it," he said. "If we are to have more power at the bargaining table, if we are to have more power at the ballot box, then we have to have more members."

HEALTH CARE FOR ALL

In his keynote address President Spinosa emphasised the need for access to health care and how rising medical costs have made keeping benefits an issue in every contract the ILWU negotiates. The only real solution, he said, is a national, single-payer healthcare program.

The delegates were already aware of this and had come with several healthcare resolutions. The Convention passed them all. The first one (R-2) calls for universal and comprehensive health coverage for everyone in the U.S.

ORGANISE OR DIE

In their opening speeches both Spinosa and Trumka pointed to organising as essential to the union movement's political and economic survival. At the ILWU's International Convention six years ago the union committed itself, both politically and financially, to organising. While not satisfied with the results so far, the delegates this year showed themselves to be no less committed to organising and perhaps more focused. They passed a resolution directing the International organising program to hone in on strategic targets that would strengthen existing locals and involve and empower the rank and file.

GUEST SPEAKERS

The Convention heard from numerous distinguished guest speakers. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, California Governor Gray Davis and Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee all came to recognise the progressive work of the ILWU over the years and to ask for it to continue.

Conference resolutions and speeches can be downloaded from the MUA website.

Meanwhile the Maritime Union is gearing up to hold its national rank and file conference in Febuary 2004.