First Published: Workers Viewpoint, Vol. 6, No. 23, June 15-21, 1981.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The government is running scared – scared of the strong rank and file movement that has been going on in the NASSCO shipyard. The workers persist despite firings, arrests, trusteeship, and other acts design to break unions at NASSCO, especially Ironworkers Local 627. The government is frightened of the growing support for the NASSCO 3, and the issues which the case hinges on.
While it may have felt confident that they could stop a militant labor struggle, the government is panicked by the fact that the public is steadily developing awareness of the real NASSCO situation and that more and more people and organizations from American society are stepping forward to protest the outrageous violations of justice and rights by the companies and the government. Bob Hansen of the Unitarian Universalis! Service Committee said, “while they unjustly convict the NASSCO 3 of the conspiracy to bomb, the government is building bombs every day.”
On 4 June 1981 program held to celebrate what many thought would be a victory and over $800 was raised. Over 150 people turned out to express their support for the three. Many who did not attend bought tickets. People who had not worked together for years put aside their differences to support each other and to build a movement against further attacks on trade unions and democratic rights, of freedom of association, speech and political beliefs.
Solidarity statements were given by other organizations who are under government attack. Karen Hopkins from the American Indian Movement; Deborah Fleming of Womencare, a feminist health collective; Hector Marroquin, Socialist Workers Party leader facing deportation to Mexico; and Laura Zwezkbronner representing Lesbians for Political Action; all related this case to attacks on their own organizations. They pledged continued support for the NASSCO 3.
New endorsements are flowing into the defense committee’s office. The state Executive Board of the Service Employees International Union Local 535, a statewide local has endorsed the Committee to Defend NASSCO workers. Abe Feinglass, International Vice-President of the Amalgamated Meatcutters and Butcherworkman, AFL-CIO, has also endorsed the committee. Larry Holms of Workers World Party and David McReynolds of the Socialist Party have endorsed the committee. Margaret Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights have endorsed the committee.