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An injury to one is an injury to all

July 2024

ILWU
Resolution on Justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Whereas, the ILWU has been defending innocent death row journalist and black political activist Mumia Abu-Jamal for the last 12 years, through support letters from our International Presidents, resolutions from our organizational divisions, and most importantly our coastwide shutdown of U.S. West Coast ports in April 1999; and

Whereas, Mumia is himself a union member and strong supporter of the labor movement who supported our Neptune Jade solidarity action for the Liverpool dockers and refused to be interviewed by a scab T.V. crew during the ABC strike despite the crucial importance of media coverage to his defense campaign; and

Whereas, the state and federal courts have refused to hear the confession of ex-mob hit man Arnold Beverly, who swears that he murdered Police Officer Daniel Faulkner on behalf of corrupt police and organized crime because the officer was an obstacle to their pay-offs racket, and that Mumia had nothing to do with the shooting; and

Whereas, as a result of the international campaign in support of Mumia and the ILWU's participation in that campaign, the federal judge was forced to throw-out Mumia's death sentence, but refused to overturn his conviction despite his innocence and new evidence that the racist trial judge Sabo at the time of the trial, was overheard saying, in reference to Mumia: "Yeah, and I'm going to help 'em fry the n****r"; and

Whereas, Mumia's case is now on appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Appeals, but the history of past frame-ups of labor activists like Sacco and Vanzetti, who were executed despite the confession of the real murderer, has taught us to put no faith in the bosses' courts; and

Whereas, Mumia's life is still in danger because the Philadelphia District Attorney is appealing the reversal of his death sentence and threatening to again seek the death penalty in a new sentencing hearing; and

Whereas, it is intolerable that an innocent man like Mumia should remain in prison when the real murderer has confessed; and

Whereas, the power of the racially integrated labor movement can stop the frame-up and free Mumia;

Resolved, ILWU Local 10 sign on and fully endorse the Brief of Amicus Curaie submitted on behalf of Brother Jamal by Attorney Michael F. Yamamoto, and BE IT FURTHER,

Therefore be it resolved that the Longshore Caucus of the ILWU demands that Mumia Abu-Jamal's conviction be overturned and that he be freed immediately; and

Be it further resolved that the International President of the ILWU send an Open Letter to the Governor of Pennsylvania demanding that the state attorney general take over Mumia's case from the Philadelphia District Attorney stipulating that Mumia's conviction be reversed and that he be freed; and

Be in finally resolved that the International President of the ILWU formally request the AFL-CIO Executive Board to take up and approve the resolution pending before it to call a national day of labor action to free our brother Mumia Abu-Jamal.