Protest Working Families Party Attack on Howie Hawkins
- by: John Halle
- recipient: Progressives, Socialists, Green Party Supporters, Labor Activists
To all Labor, Socialist and Progressive Activists:
We the undersigned strongly protest the Working Families Party decision to campaign for Howie Hawkins's opponent in the race for Syracuse City Council. It is unconscionable that the Working Families Party which claims to be a champion of organized labor should seek to undermine his independent, progressive campaign.
Hawkins track record as an environmentalist, labor and Green Party activist make him by far the best choice as an elected spokesperson for working people in Syracuse. As the New York Green Party's candidate for Governor in 2010, he campaigned for progressive taxes and revenue sharing as the alternative to Governor Cuomo's cuts to schools, cities, and public services. He received nearly 60,000 votes, which gave the Green Party a ballot line statewide for the next four years. He is a working Teamster, an active member of Teamster Local 317. His endorsement by CSEA reflects his success in reaching out to organized labor. CSEA's statement of support reads...“CSEA Central Region 5 is very proud to endorse Howie Hawkins for Syracuse Common Council District 4. We are confident Howie is the candidate for the middle class, working men and women and those less fortunate. He will bring an independent and thoughtful no-nonsense approach to the Syracuse Council, something we need during these tough economic times.”
In the last city council election, Howie lost by only 96 votes. This year all indications are that he has a real chance to win against his establishment Democratic opponent.
We call on the WFP to end its ill-considered and divisive opposition to Howie Hawkins.
Jon Flanders
retired member, IAM 1145
VP Troy Area Labor Council
John Halle
Former Green Party Alderman
Director, Music Theory, Bard College Conservatory
Steve Early
retired CWA District One Staff Representative and past supporter of the Working Families Party in Massachusetts
To all Labor, Socialist and Progressive Activists:
We the undersigned strongly protest the Working Families Party decision to campaign for Howie Hawkins's opponent in the race for Syracuse City Council. It is unconscionable that the Working Families Party which claims to be a champion of organized labor should seek to undermine his independent, progressive campaign.
Hawkins track record as an environmentalist, labor and Green Party activist make him by far the best choice as an elected spokesperson for working people in Syracuse. As the New York Green Party's candidate for Governor in 2010, he campaigned for progressive taxes and revenue sharing as the alternative to Governor Cuomo's cuts to schools, cities, and public services. He received nearly 60,000 votes, which gave the Green Party a ballot line statewide for the next four years. He is a working Teamster, an active member of Teamster Local 317. His endorsement by CSEA reflects his success in reaching out to organized labor. CSEA's statement of support reads...“CSEA Central Region 5 is very proud to endorse Howie Hawkins for Syracuse Common Council District 4. We are confident Howie is the candidate for the middle class, working men and women and those less fortunate. He will bring an independent and thoughtful no-nonsense approach to the Syracuse Council, something we need during these tough economic times.”
In the last city council election, Howie lost by only 96 votes. This year all indications are that he has a real chance to win against his establishment Democratic opponent.
We call on the WFP to end its ill-considered and divisive opposition to Howie Hawkins.
Jon Flanders
retired member, IAM 1145
VP Troy Area Labor Council
John Halle
Former Green Party Alderman
Director, Music Theory, Bard College Conservatory.
Steve Early
retired CWA District One Staff Representative and past supporter of the Working Families Party in Massachusetts
Michael Rice
former WFP supporter
Kevin Zeese
www.PopularResistance.org
Angelica Clarke
Staff Organizer & Representative, CWA 1104
Zachary Flaugher
Campaign for a United Socialist Party
Peter LaVenia
Common Council candidate Albany, Green party, Secretary of GPNYS
Robert F. Grace
Retired PEF Division 295 Treasurer/DOS Executive Board Rep.
Nancy Wallace
Shop Steward, IBEW Local 97
Sean Sweeney, Ph.D.
Director, Cornell Global Labor Institute
Ron Kaminkow
General Secretary, Railroad Workers United
Greg Giorgio
Delegate-Upstate N.Y. IWW
Jodi Dean
Professor of Political Science
Geneva, New York
Mike Keenan
Treasurer, Troy Area Labor Council
Barbara Garson
Writer
Rick Wolff
Economist: Democracy at Work
Sherry Wolf
ISO
Joanne Landy
Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Matt Gonzalez
Former President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Louis Proyect
The Unrepentant Marxist
Kshama Sawant
Socialist Alternative
Ty Moore
Socialist Alternative
Scott McClarty
Communications Director, Green Party
George de Stefano
Writer, editor
Joe Lowndes
Associate Professor of History, University of Oregon
Doug Henwood
Left Business Observer
Paul Street
Historian
Tim Horras
Philly Socialists
*organizations listed for identification only
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