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Canadian Auto Workers Council Approve Resolution to Withdraw NDP Support |
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Written by Wire Services
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Monday, 24 April 2006 |
After a spirited debate, an overwhelming majority of delegates to CAW Council this weekend voted in favour of encouraging CAW members, locals and staff to withdraw all support and affiliations to the New Democratic Party.
After hearing from speaker after speaker, more than 800 workplace leaders from across Canada voted in favour of a resolution that outlines a new political direction for the 260,000 member CAW.
"We will move ahead and we will have a stronger position in terms of progressive politics down the road," CAW president Buzz Hargrove said after the vote.
The resolution encourages CAW local leadership, staff, members and CAW local unions that remain affiliated to the NDP to withdraw all support and affiliations to the NDP federally, provincially and in the territories.
Delegates also expressed outrage at the decision by the Ontario NDP executive and council to suspend CAW national president Buzz Hargrove from the provincial and federal NDP. They slammed federal, provincial and territorial NDP leaders for not objecting to the "scurrilous targeting of the Ontario NDP."
The resolution urges NDP leaders to demand the ONDP rescind its decision and amend NDP constitutions to respect that labour leaders and others will act according to the democratic decisions made by their unions or organizations.
CAW Council reaffirmed the union's long-run strategy to engage in politics independently and called for the doubling of efforts in support of social movement partners. Delegates committed to work hard to limit the regressive actions of the Harper government and prevent it from winning a majority in the next election.
"The CAW remains committed to strengthening working class politics and we will expand our financial support and efforts to work with other like-minded groups in our common goal of building a progressive alternative in our country," said Hargrove.
The resolution approved by CAW Council this weekend was adopted by the CAW National Executive Board on March 21 and has since been debated by hundreds of CAW leadership and activists in meeting after meeting. CAW Council meets three times annually and acts as the Parliament of the union. |
