This was a proposal presented at Sunday’s General Assembly by the Transit Workers Solidarity Committee.
Insofar as the General Assembly did not have a quorum, it was not approved. However, The Occupy Oakland General Assembly in late October of 2011 passed a resolution in support of all workers and in solidarity with strikes, which will stand us in good stead in validating our support for BART workers in their current struggle against austerity and the one percent. At the 2nd Anniversary Party on Thursday the organizers of the celebration may ask for a reinforcing show of solidarity with the next day’s BART Strike if it is still imminent.
Whereas, we support BART and AC transit workers and the demand for no concessions. Any compromises made demoralize and dis-empower the working class. For example, when there was a mass occupation of the Wisconsin State Capitol by workers opposing Scott Walker’s union-busting bill, many were calling for a General Strike. After the South Central Federation of Labor endorsed a General Strike to counter the bill, the Democratic party and AFL-CIO bureaucrats quickly dismantled the mass mobilization with an electoral campaign to “recall” Scott Walker.
Whereas, we support George Figueroa, former ATU strike coordinator, and demand the DA drop misdemeanor charges for falsifying a police report. George was targeted as an uncompromising organizer of the strike as well as someone who sought to build solidarity between the BART workers and the larger community.
Whereas, if BART runs scab trains, we will support direct actions that union members take to defend the picket. BART management cannot be trained in a matter of days or weeks to operate operate BART safely.
Whereas, we encourage solidarity building between AC Transit, BART Workers and the larger working class. We encourage the poor and working class of Oakland to support one another in our daily struggles and revive the General Strike to address the popular demand for a living wage.
Whereas, strikers are welcome to make proposals, announcements, and hold discussions about strike support and strategy at our weekly General Assemblies.
Therefore, be it resolved that Occupy Oakland endorses the October 8th Rally to defend BART and AC transit workers as well as the strike that may follow.
Comments are closed.