March And Rally For Worker's Rights
June 9, 2001 In Columbia, South Carolina

Free The Charleston 5!
End The Legislative Assaults On Workers!

Gather At Memorial Park (Gadsden & Hampton) at 11:00 AM for
A March to the State House and a Rally at noon

Campaign For Workers' Rights

www.scpronet.com
tel (+1) 888-716-7362

Dear Trade Union Member:

Working families and unions are under assault in South Carolina and we need your help. South Carolina’s normally anti-worker, antiunion hostility has become a bipartisan contest to prove who is more pro-business. We need your help to defeat this attack and that’s why we’re writing to ask that you join with us in marching on Columbia, South Carolina June 9th!

At a picket of a nonunion ship unloading at the Charleston docks January 2000,130 protesting longshoremen were met by 600 riot equipped police. The police had armored cars, armored horses, dogs, helicopters, concussion grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets to break the picket line. The state’s policy was to keep the port open at all cost.

After Charleston police arranged to drop the misdemeanor charges against protestors in return for community service, the State Attorney General stepped in and indicted five longshoremen on felony riot charges. Attorney General Charlie Condon is running for governor and has called for “jail, jail and more jail” for the union protestors.

Lt. Gov. Harvey Peeler, Condon’s opposition for the Republican nomination for Governor, is trying to prove that he is more antiunion than Condon. Peeler recently promoted a bill that would prevent union members from serving on the Board of the State Ports Authority. Peeler urged Senators to pass the antiunion legislation to insure that “the right-to-work foundation of our pro-business climate is never again compromised by union politics”.

In the past two months legislation has been passed that would:

• Prevent cities from establishing a minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum. We call this an “Anti-living wage bill.”
• Strengthen the state’s antiunion laws by making employers liable for fines if workers complain about union organizing on the job.
• Prevent members of ports related unions from serving on the State Ports Authority board.

The Campaign for Workers’ Rights in South Carolina is calling for an Emergency March and Rally for Workers’ Rights, June 9 in Columbia, South Carolina in response to this situation. Specifically, we are demanding that the charges against the Charleston 5 be immediately dropped. The freedom of these workers and the livelihood of their families are at stake. Conviction could bring at least five years imprisonment. And for what? They were exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression!

The June 9th March is also being called to bring attention to the legislative and political assault on workers’ rights in South Carolina. The efforts, mentioned above, to limit democracy and basic rights for working people must be halted before this becomes a tidal wave both within our state as well as in the entire country. Your support is essential!

The Campaign is supported by the SC Progressive Network, a coalition of 41 organizations that includes the SC AFLCIO and the International Longshoreman’s Association, Local 1422. The National AFLCIO as well as the State AFLCIO Federations of Georgia and North Carolina are also supporting the march and rally.

It is imperative that we turn out a huge crowd for this event. The rally will be at the state capitol at noon.

For further information, please contact Donna DeWitt, President of the SC AFLCIO at 803-798-8300, or email: scaflcio@bellsouth.net. Contributions can be made to the Campaign for Workers’ Rights in South Carolina, PO Box 21777, Charleston, SC 29413

Campaign for Workers’ Rights
Donna DeWitt, President, SC AFLCIO
Ken Riley, President, ILA 1422
Rep. Joe Neal, Cochair, SC Progressive Network