Unionists organized events all over the
world on December 10, "International Human Rights Day." Americans
demanded the right to organize. A major goal was to develop support for the
Employee Free Choice Act. Introduced into Congress in April 2005, the act (S.
842 and H.R. 1696) would simplify and strengthen the organizing process.
In Dallas, approximately 150 union members and supporters held an informational
picket at a Wal-Mart store. Wal-Mart was chosen as a particularly anti-union
employer.
Brother Joe Gomez was among the many who took their own time to stand up for unions on December 10
On KNON radio's December 14 "Workers
Beat" program, National AFL-CIO Organizing Director Stewart Acuff said
that 12,000 people had marched against outsourcing and the World Trade Organization
in Hong Kong. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney led the march. He talked about
many other public rallies, pickets, and "teach-ins" that took place
December 10. He also said that the fight is barely begun, and that all of us
should, "soldier on!"
The fight for the right to organize is the very core of the battle to put our
nation back on the path of improving the lives of working people. Before unions
gathered strength, Americans worked 14-hour days. Like as not, they brought
their children to work with them. Nobody had health care, nobody had a pension,
and nobody got time off to rest. To the extent that life is good in America,
it is because working people organized.
There were other Texas events in Austin, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. National
and international events were listed on www.aflcio.org/joinaunion/voiceatwork/d10.cfm