"GET
ON THE BUS”
for the MILLION WORKER MARCH, OCT. 17, 2004, WASHINGTON, D.C.!
- JOBS & WORKERS RIGHTS - NOT WAR
- BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
- END THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ!
- ORGANIZE BUSES - BUSES - BUSES
Danny Glover, actor:
"We must keep marching ... before the elections and after the elections ... until we
win justice for the homeless, the unemployed and we bring the troops home now ... Come out
on Oct. 17th."
Dear Activists and Organizers,
- OVER 1,000 SOLDIERS DEAD & COUNTING
- TENS OF THOUSANDS OF IRAQI'S DEAD
- MANY MORE WOUNDED
- THIS MUST END NOW!
On Oct. 17 in Washington, D.C., you will have a timely and historic opportunity to unite
the anti-war movement with an unprecedented and vitally necessary mass march of working
people speaking for themselves. This is a rare opportunity and the latest casualty numbers
from Iraq show that it could not come at a more critical time. We cannot and must not rely
on the elections in November to stop the war. We must raise our voices loud--not after the
elections--right now.
Some of the strongest voices and most active groups in the labor movement, together with
the active support and participation of organizations representing every progressive
movement and cause, will be “getting on the bus” to D.C. on Sunday, Oct. 17, for
the MILLION WORKER MARCH.
What makes the Million Worker March unique is that the event’s principal organizers
want to make the anti-war movement’s demand to “End the occupation of Iraq, and
bring the troops home now” central to the march's message and its goals.
Working people are coming to Washington, D.C. on Oct. 17 because whether their concern is
about jobs, decent wages, layoffs, union busting, the battle to protect our pensions and
Social Security, or to make health care a universal right instead of a privilege for the
wealthy--with all we face, we had better raise our own voices and act in our own interests
instead of relying on the next president, whoever that will be. And the MWM will also be
calling for the troops to be brought home--not two, three or four years from today, but
NOW!
Why? Because it is working families who bear the burden. It is their loved ones who are
sent off to fight and die--and it is workers' money that is stolen to pay for war and
occupation.
The call for a Million Worker March came from one of the most well known labor
organizations in the country, famous for its long history of militancy, boldness and
courage in defense of working people—Local 10 of the International Longshore Workers
Union in San Francisco.
· Over the past few months this call has rolled across the country, picking up the
support of scores of labor unions, labor activists and leaders including:
The Coalition Of Black Trade Unionists; Bill Lucy, secretary-treasurer, AFSCME; National
Education Association; American Postal Workers Union; Transportation Workers Union Local
100 (NY); AFSCME District Council 1707 (NY); AFSCME District Council 37 (NY); 1199/SEIU
Delegates Assembly; South Carolina AFL-CIO; Farm Labor Organizing Committee; AFSCME
District Council 92 (MD); D.C. Labor Against The War; International ANSWER; actor Danny
Glover; American Indian Movement; ILWU Local 34; Troy and Albany Labor Council (NY);
United For Peace & Justice; National Immigration Solidarity Network; New York City
Labor Against the War; Global Women’s Strike; Teamsters Black Caucus; comedian Dick
Gregory; Myra Shone and Ralph Schoenman, Taking Aim, Pacifica; National Association of
Letter Carriers, Branch 3825; Howard Wallace, co-founder, Pride at Work; Jim Houghton,
Director, Harlem Fight Back; Justice 4 Homeless, SF; United Steel Workers of America Local
8751; International Action Center; former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Nellie
Bailey, Harlem Tenants Council; Howard Zinn, historian; Noam Chomsky, linguist; AFSCME
Local 95, Local 205, Local 215,Local 389,Loca167,Local 1881, Local 1930; ILWU Entire West
Coast division; CUE Local 3; and many more.
We urge you to work to make the Oct. 17 Million Worker March in D.C. the next major event
for the entire anti-war movement. If we all rise to this challenge, we will put the next
president and Congress on notice that we will accept no excuses for prolonging the
occupation of Iraq and wasting lives and precious resources that should go toward
satisfying people’s needs like housing and schools. Moreover, we will have helped to
forge a critical alliance between the grassroots of the labor movement and the anti-war
movement that would represent a whole new level of unity, potential and power.
Does this sound like something worth working for? Does this sound like something
you’ve been waiting for? You can help make it happen.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
DOWNLOAD ANTIWAR4 Million Worker March Flyers From http://www.IACenter.Org
(A New Antiwar4MWM Web Page is coming shortly)
BECOME AN ORGANIZING CENTER FOR OCT. 17: We are asking anti-war activists and groups to
set up local organizing centers for the Million Worker March. Start meeting, planning, and
reserving buses to go to Washington. Anti-war coalitions and groups need to let us know
ASAP if their group can be listed as an Oct.17. Organizing center, in their locality or
region.
GET BUSES: make a goal of organizing a bus/or buses from your union, school, work place,
churches, neighborhood, organization or club.
SEND A $$$ DONATION TO HELP PAY FOR BUS TRANSPORTATION: We want to make sure that everyone
who wants to come to Washington on Oct. 17 can, regardless of whether they have only a few
dollars to give for a bus seat, or even nothing. We want to, wherever possible, make
transportation free to young people, unemployed people, and others who are barely getting
by. Your generous contribution will go along way towards helping this happen. MAKE CHECKS
PAYABLE TO: People's Rights Fund/Oct.17 Buses
· ORGANIZATIONS, JOIN THE LIST OF ENDORDERS
· FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO FRIENDS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT WANT TO COME ·
AND ORGANIZE OTHERS TO COME
CONTACT US AT:
AntiWar4theMillionWorkerMarch@action-mail.org 39 W. 14th Street, #206
NYC, NY 10011
phone (212) 633-6646
In solidarity,
Clarence Thomas, Co-Chair, Million Workers March Organizing Committee, ILWU Local 10
Brenda Stokely, President, District Council 1707 AFSCME, Co-chair, NYC Labor Against the
War
Chris Silvera, Secretary-Treasurer, Local 808 IBT, President National Teamsters Black
Caucus
Ralph Shoenman, Communications Coordinator, Million Worker March
Larry Holmes, International Action Center, Steering Committee ANSWER
Sharon Black, Washington/Baltimore Coordinator, Million Worker March
Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General
Sara Flounders, Coordinator, Iraq War Crimes Tribunal NYC
GET ON THE BUS:
* TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!* FOR MONEY & FOR JOBS NOT WAR!* FOR A LIVING WAGE!*
AGAINST LAYOFFS, UNION BUSTING, & FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS!* FOR THE RIGHTS OF
IMMIGRANT WORKERS!* BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED JOBS NOT JAILS!* TO END THE OCCUPATION OF
IRAQ!* TO DEFEND CIVIL RIGHTS! * BECAUSE WORKING PEOPLE NEED TO SPEAK IN THEIR OWN VOICE!
GET ON THE BUS OCT. 17 FOR THE MILLION WORKER MARCH
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