The General Membership of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild has passed a resolution calling on the D.C. Central Labor Council (Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO) to “organize a day of unity for our local labor family, with the special purpose of including local law enforcement and building solidarity among all parts of the community.”
The resolution crafted at the local’s membership meeting on July 13 will be taken by WBNG President Sheila Lindsay to The NewsGuild executive board, as well as to Sara Steffens, secretary-treasurer of TNG’s parent-union, the Communications Workers of America.
The full text of the resolution:
Whereas, the violence of the week of July 4th was unspeakably tragic, and we mourn the loss of the lives of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Sergeant Michael Smith, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Officer Brent Thompson, and the countless lives that have been and continue to be lost;
Whereas, we recognize that we cannot move forward divided, with inadequate understanding of each other;
Whereas, we acknowledge and accept our special ability and obligation as a labor movement to bring our family together to address these problems, build solidarity and protect each other;
Whereas, the preamble to the AFLCIO Constitution states “We resolve to fulfill the yearning of the human spirit for liberty, justice and community; … to vanquish oppression, privation and cruelty in all their forms; and to join with all persons, of whatever nationality or faith … to grace the planet with these achievements;”
Therefore, be it resolved that WBNG-CWA Local 32035 calls on the Metro Washington Council of the AFL-CIO to organize a day of unity for our local labor family, with the special purpose of including local law enforcement and building solidarity among all parts of the community;
Be it further resolved that this day should show our support for our brothers and sisters on the force, work with law enforcement to specifically seek out the needs of the community, and provide a space for dialogue about racial justice and accountability in our community;
Be it further resolved that this effort should be ongoing and include follow-up events and regular meetings of our local labor family to address these issues.