AFT
PEACE AND
JUSTICE CAUCUS
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Peace
and Justice Caucus Organizing The AFT Peace and Justice Caucus is organizing several events for the July 11-14 convention in Chicago and will staff a caucus table in the exhibition hall. Go to the AFT website for a tentative calendar of the convention and for more general information. A number of resolutions* drafted by Peace and Justice Caucus activists are being presented at the AFT convention. Click here for the resolutions. Click here to join the caucus -- and here if you wish to make a donation to support our mission and work.
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the aft peace and
justice caucusFounded in July, 2006, we are a peace and justice organization registered as a issue caucus in the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
We first came together at the bi-annual national convention of the AFT held in Boston in the summer of 2006. Our initial work focused on building an anti-war movement in the AFT, advocating for the AFT to play a role in promoting progressive immigration policies and supporting a special order of business at the convention in defense of striking teachers in Oaxaca, Mexico.
We maintained and staffed a P &J Caucus table at the convention, distributing thousands of leaflets on the Iraq War, advocating for immigration reform, signing up 135 members, talking to delegates and organizing forums on (1)the mideast, (2) veterans and military families against the war and (3) education reform, with Jonathan Kozol as the featured speaker. (For more details on the three forums, go to our October 2006 newsletter, page five).
But our main work was on the convention floor. The AFT passed anti-war resolution that resolved that:
"The American Federation of Teachers oppose the war in Iraq and call upon our country's leaders to withdraw all troops, bases and military operations in a rapid and timely manner and to put a stop to the unending military presence that will waste lives and resources, undermine our nation's security and weaken our military....[emphasis added]"
The AFT build anti-war movement by "encourag[ing] its state and local affiliates to join the AFT in working with the AFL-CIO to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home rapidly."
The AFT Peace and Justice Caucus played a crucial role in strengthening the language in these two "resolveds," putting the federation on record as "oppose[d] to the war" and committed to building an anti-war movement with its "state and local affiliates" and the AFL-CIO. Click here for the full resolution.
AFT leadership at the convention introduced a special order of business that in essence, supported Israel’s attack on Lebanon. Peace and Justice Caucus delegates spoke and fought against the resolution and presented an alternative one which was narrowly defeated. (See the October 2006 newsletter, page six, for more details.)
The convention also passed a special order of business in support of striking teachers in Oaxaca who had been attacked by police and paramilitary forces. Click here for the AFT Oaxaca resolution.
Find out more about us. Check out the rest of the website and if you are a member of an AFT local, join the caucus. Click here if you wish to make a donation to support our mission and work.
Click here for our
mission statement