Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Nancy Wohlforth, Office and Professional Employees International Union, U.S. Labor Against the War, 1660 L Street, N.W., Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036, 202/393-4464, nwohlforth@opeiu.org

The war and the occupation of Iraq continues. U.S. and Coalition troops and countless Iraqis continue to suffer and die. The misdirection of precious resources toward war and away from meeting human needs for health care, pensions, education, housing, a clean environment, a decent standard of living continues, along with the erosion of our constitutional rights and liberties. The war on workers and unions continues, with huge health consequences. The nation is being driven ever deeper into debt. Unions, central labor councils, and state federations representing millions of workers have passed resolutions since 2003 opposing the war in Iraq and calling for an end to the occupation, withdrawal of U.S. troops, and redirection of resources to domestic needs. In July 2005, the AFL-CIO adopted a resolution calling for the rapid return of all U.S. troops from Iraq, marking the first time in its 50-year history that the federation has taken a position squarely in opposition to any major U.S. foreign policy or military action. This was the result of a grassroots movement within labor.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to
• Describe the growth of opposition to the war in Iraq within the labor movement and understand its significance; 2)Discuss the costs of war at home, including the dismantling of what remains of the social safety net and cuts in, or elimination of, social programs; 3)Discuss the labor, human rights, environmental, and criminal records of U.S corporations in Iraq.

Related Web page: www.uslaboragainstwar.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No