The statement discusses the Illinois Labor Network Against Apartheid's solidarity work between workers in the U.S. and South Africa. A recent example concerns Caterpillar, which did not get out of South Africa and was an ardent opponent of sanctions in the Illinois legislature. 11,000 UAW members at Caterpillar in the U.S. have been on strike for five months. One week ago, a representative of Caterpillar workers in South Africa joined us in Peoria, Illinois at a rally for striking Caterpillar workers. Two days later, Caterpillar workers in South Africa had a one-hour, mid-day walkout in support of UAW workers and sent a video of that walkout to workers in Peoria. A second example of solidarity...
The statement discusses the Illinois Labor Network Against Apartheid's solidarity work between workers in the U.S. and South Africa. A recent example concerns Caterpillar, which did not get out of South Africa and was an ardent opponent of sanctions in the Illinois legislature. 11,000 UAW members at Caterpillar in the U.S. have been on strike for five months. One week ago, a representative of Caterpillar workers in South Africa joined us in Peoria, Illinois at a rally for striking Caterpillar workers. Two days later, Caterpillar workers in South Africa had a one-hour, mid-day walkout in support of UAW workers and sent a video of that walkout to workers in Peoria. A second example of solidarity involves Crown, Cork and Seal, a U.S.-based company that fired 200 union workers in South Africa in a dispute with NUMSA (the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa). Crown, Cork and Seal workers in the U.S. are represented by the Machinists and Steelworkers unions. At the urging of these two unions, NUMSA last week won a new contract including an agreement to rehire the 200 fired workers. The Illinois Labor Network stands with South African workers as they fight off brutal attacks of international corporations, of the South African security forces, and of Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) goons. These violent attacks aim to break up the labor movement, which has been the backbone of on-the-ground support for the liberation movement. The Network calls for stricter enforcement of Illinois and Chicago sanctions laws to support the liberation movement in South Africa. The speech mentions F.W. de Klerk, the ANC (African National Congress), and COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions).
