Why is Union Money Going Abroad?
Washing Away Labor's War Stain
(CounterPunch.org) -- by STANLEY HELLER --
Organized labor is joining with the NAACP in a “One Nation” jobs rally in Washington on October 2nd. No doubt they will be expecting anti-war folks to flock to it Lots of peace organizations have already done so
Trouble is the rally has no obvious peace focus at all. Look at the One Nation Working Together website. The demands are for jobs, education and equality for all. Nothing about peace even as a way to pay for jobs. Nothing about peace even though many, many unions have passed anti-war resolutions. Now there is a formation called “the Peace Table” that’s getting anti-war groups involved in the march, but what is “The Table” getting in return? Is it the poor relation allowed to come to the party as long as it stays out of sight?
And does organized labor deserve automatic support while it has a big war stain on its collar, the stain from the support its leaders give to Israeli Apartheid? They support it in two ways, by opposing the growing BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement against Israel and by buying huge amounts of Israel Bonds. No sooner had Richard Trumka taken over command of the national AFL-CIO than he ran to a Jewish Labor Committee denouncing Israel “bashing” and any thought of boycott. Go to the JLC website and see how RWDSU and AFT leaders give cover to Israel for its crimes on the Mavi Marmara. Yet, words are secondary. The biggest help to Israeli Apartheid comes from union member dues and pension money going to State of Israel Bonds.
It’s, of course, quite right for unions to support unions in other countries. However, for U.S. unions to give financial support to foreign governments is unheard of …except in the case of Israel. Members dues are shoveled to Israel in the millions. No one knows how much. In 1988 Russell Mokhiber talked about a survey that stated unions held $250 million in the bonds. I wrote to my own union, the American Federation of Teachers, and asked what they have. The answer was they owned $300,000 of the bonds (and that’s just the national body. My guess is the New York City local has even more). In addition some unions manage their own pensions and own bonds while public employee unions sit silently while millions in their pensions are sent to Israel by State Treasurers.
The Israel Bonds site says the money goes for the development of “infrastructure” and it has pictures of highways and trains, but as far as I can tell the money raised for the bonds goes into the general Israel budget to be used for any purpose. Even if it is restricted to “development”, remember for an apartheid state development also includes settlements, settler-only roads and walls...MORE...LINK
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Chris Moore comments:
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is an imperious, violent, Zionist thug who runs the union as his own personal empire. The man is such a snake, he'll even sick his lackeys on union members themselves if they raise his psychotic Zionist ire and question his absolutest, self-serving policies:
When Trumka and UMWA President Cecil Roberts came to Bentleyville, Pennsylvania in April 1998, fifty rank-and-file union members gathered outside the hall where they spoke to protest their leaders' policies. "Within minutes," wrote leftwing journalist Paul Scherrer, "a group of UMWA officials and their supporters attacked the protesting miners, ripping leaflets and protest signs from their hands. Several miners were punched, knocked to the ground and kicked repeatedly. [Richard] Cicci was hit with a piece of lumber and suffered a large gash on his head." "Richard Trumka," reported Scherrer, "refused to answer questions about the assault." In other words, by his silence he gave tacit assent to such violence.And what a despicable, Jewish supremacist hypocrite. Here's what he said about apartheid S. Africa in 1987, which compared to Israel was a benign dictatorship:
“Sanctions alone cannot eradicate apartheid; that task is ultimately left to the people of South Africa themselves. But economic pressure and political isolation of the South African government can hasten the day when justice and freedom reign in that troubled land.” –Richard L. Trumka, June 23, 1987Yet here's a report on his keynote speech at a "human rights" award ceremony hosted by the Jewish Labor Committee:
Addressing the Jewish Labor Committee, newly-elected President of the AFL-CIO, Richard L. Trumka, has spoken out clearly and forcefully in opposition to calls to boycott Israel. Before 475 participants of the annual Human Rights Dinner of the JLC, held in New York City on October 27th, Trumka stated that “we’re proud to stand with the JLC to oppose boycotting Israel.” Trumka was elected President of the national AFL-CIO in September of this year. The AFL-CIO is composed of 57 national and international labor unions, represents 11.5 million members.Trumka conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, and the Jewish Labor Committee agrees. Trumka says anti-Semitism is like a weed; actually, its Zionists who are like weeds, popping up all over Palestine, crowding out the native folk. However, unlike weeds, Zionists use institutional racism, terrorism and weaponry to do the job.
He noted that “the Jewish community here – and around the world – has never had a stronger ally than the AFL-CIO,” adding that “so long as I’m president, you will never have a stronger ally than the AFL-CIO!”
Trumka added that “in America, we sometimes think that anti-Semitism is part of the past, but the truth is that it’s like a weed that can always grow back. And that’s especially true during hard times. You know, sometimes it’s couched as `anti-Zionism.’ Other times there’s no effort to disguise it at all.”
In a keynote address, Trumka stated that “there is only one way we’re going to stop the violence in the Middle East – and it’s not by bashing Israel – it’s by supporting President Obama’s peace initiative. And I ought to add, that’s why we need to stand by President Obama on Iran, too!”
No wonder a thug like Trumka can identify.
RICHARD TRUMKA, STALINIST, ZIONIST THUG
4 comments:
another useful goy idiot that is given a position of power. I think I see a pattern. :D
Thanks for the article.
Trumka's hypocritical position of apartheid is based on the fact that South Africa, wasn't paying dividends for his political/business career. They're the same apartheid situation, but he's gotta put lipstick on the Israel pig and walk it around town, cause that pig is a sacred cow for his family fortune and for their corrupt cause.
I would like to know how these points of views are pushed onto congressmen and these leaders in general.The louder they cheer for Israel, the more access, capitol, and power they achieve. What is the deal they make?
Perhaps, one day there will be enough recorded tape (like Jane Harman's wiretap betrayal) to bring this dirty laundry up from the corrupt cellar of Washington.
Even if the large majority of Americans clearly realize the larger picture of this treachery, can they be organized as a group to do something about it? I dunno. Twenty years ago issues were never discussed in this amount of detail, but only the forum of the internet has provided this opportunity to discuss, what newspapers would never print.
Hi Chu,
For a partial answer, see:
http://www.judeofascism.com/2010/09/zionism-all-encompassing-ideology-that.html
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