This resolution was created by members of Madison Area DSA to help you take up the call for #Justice4George with your union. Please feel free to use and share.

Dear Union Siblings,

The recent murder of George Floyd at the hands of police has led to a new national uprising against police brutality across the country.

As stewards, activists, labor leaders, socialists, and organizers in our respective unions, we have a duty to show our solidarity in the struggle against racism in the United States. For this reason, I have put together a “template” resolution which can be shared and distributed across all of our local unions and central labor councils to showcase that unions stand firmly on the side of the oppressed in their struggle for freedom.

The template contains a total of 11 resolutions, 9 of which can be used “a la carte” — added, removed, or edited, to craft a resolution which makes sense for your local or labor council. Please take a moment to read the resolutions and decide which ones make the most sense for your circumstances. Additionally, make sure to share the template with other union activists who can use it to convince their own locals to vote and stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and George Floyd.

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Union Resolution to Demand Justice for George Floyd!

[INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] stands in solidarity with the family, friends, and loved ones of George Floyd, with the Black community, and with everyone demanding police accountability and justice.

WHEREAS on May 25, 2020, a white Minneapolis police officer murdered 46-year-old George Floyd, kneeling on his neck for eight minutes while he pleaded to be allowed to breathe, and 

WHEREAS three other police officers aided and abetted the death of George Floyd, and

WHEREAS the Black community repeatedly faces the deaths of loved ones at the hands of the police, and

WHEREAS the core principle of the labor movement – “An Injury to One is An Injury to All” – requires all working people of conscience to take a stand for justice, and

WHEREAS the labor movement must explicitly fight against all forms of discrimination which are used by institutions, including our own workplaces, as a means to divide and conquer the working class majority and our fellow union siblings, and

WHEREAS the same police departments responsible for violence against Black, Brown, and Indigenous people are also used by employers to destroy picket lines set up by striking worker’s fighting for decent living conditions, and

WHEREAS in Madison, Wisconsin in particular, has one of the highest rates of racial inequality in our jail population in the entire country, and

WHEREAS the state of Wisconsin is consistently ranked in the top 5 worst states in regards to key metrics on racial equity for Black people in the United states;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] stands in solidarity with the family of George Floyd and all people demanding justice for his murder.   

[INSERT RESOLUTIONS (FROM BELOW) HERE]

BE IN FINALLY RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] will issue a statement to our membership to the effect of the resolution above.

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Resolutions to include in your draft language:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] calls for the immediate prosecution of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. 

Be IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL OR CLC HERE] also calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of officers Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Keung for aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] calls for an immediate de-escalation by police and National Guard forces and an end to violence against the protesters in [INSERT LOCAL REGION] and across the country. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] will not assist, cooperate or provide our services to police attempting to arrest or physically assault protestors demanding justice against police brutality.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL OR CLC HERE] calls for all charges to be dropped against those protesting for justice for George Floyd.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] calls for a thoroughgoing review of law enforcement policies and practices by federal, state, and local authorities, followed by concrete and systemic reforms to ensure that all people in our society are granted equal treatment by law enforcement and criminal justice systems, regardless of the color of their skin.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLC HERE] calls on the AFL-CIO to expel police unions from our organization.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [INSERT UNION LOCAL or CLCHERE] will donate [$XXX] to [INSERT LOCAL BLACK-LED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION HERE]

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on our membership to safely participate in or otherwise support actions called by those seeking justice for George Floyd.