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VVAW Speaks at U.S. Labor Against War Meeting

By Bill Davis

In early January, more than one hundred unionists - elected officials, staffers, and rank and file members, came to Chicago to form a new organization, U.S. Labor Against the War. U.S. Labor Against the War plans to organize a union presence in the larger anti-war movement.

The group's formation is a result of anti-war unionists coming together from New York, Chicago and other cities. As of mid February at least seventy union locals, sixteen regional/district labor bodies, thirty four central labor bodies, two state labor federations, and twenty seven ad-hoc committees have joined Labor Against the War.

The night before the founding meeting a large crowd heard two Vietnam veterans, Dan Lane and myself, speak to our experiences as veterans active in the labor movement.

Dan Lane was a leading rank and file activist in the struggle against A.E. Staley, in Decatur, Illinois.

I'm a Chicago chapter member of VVAW and chief steward for the International Association of Machinists, Local 70 1 at UPS Chicago. I informed the audience about the effects of war on working class families and what people should expect when joining the military. I'm also a delegate to the Chicago Federation of Labor and am on the steering committee of Chicago Labor Against the War. C.L.A.W. participated along with VVAW in the February 15 demonstrations in Chicago and New York.