WHEREAS:

The world community is increasingly acknowledging the horrors of apartheid as practiced in South Africa and is responding by increasing isolation of that country in protest against its flagrant violation of basic human rights; and

WHEREAS:

The campaign by the labor movement and others associated with it to achieve disinvestment of pension funds and other sources of capital in order to remove support from the racist government of South Africa is growing more effective; and

WHEREAS:

Despite these achievements much remains to be done, especially with respect to American banking and corporate activities in South Africa as well as support for the South African government by international agencies such as the International Monetary Fund; and

WHEREAS:

In the face of such progress the U.S. Administration continues to support South Africa and its racist government on the basis that it represents a key player in the East-West confrontation with the Soviet Union, ignoring completely the North-South implications for Africa; and

WHEREAS:

The government of South Africa is taking even more cruel and inhuman measures against its Black citizens even as world condemnation grows, and in these actions it gains encouragement from the failure of the U.S. Administration to speak out clearly against that government's policies and actions; and

WHEREAS:

The South African Black labor movement, always the subject of harsh restrictions and opposition, is emerging as perhaps the only moderate force in that country that could lead South Africa peacefully to democracy and a non-racist sharing of power.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That this 26th International Convention reaffirms AFSCME's absolute opposition to the racist apartheid policies of the government of South Africa and continues our long-standing support of campaigns to deny that government the sources of support represented by U.S. pension fund investments, investment and operations there by U.S. corporations, and loans or grants by the U.S. government and international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME urges the administration to abandon its narrow vision of South Africa as a player in the East-West confrontation and revise its policies to take into account the real issue of racism and apartheid in South Africa; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME take every appropriate action within its resources to strengthen the Black public service unions in South Africa, through Public Services International and directly, to the end that a democratic and free trade union movement can be developed as a peaceful alternative to what appears otherwise to be an inevitably violent passage of power in that country.

SUBMITTED BY:

International Executive Board

Janet Kodish, President
Lisa Kermish, Secretary
AFSCME Local 3211
Berkeley, California