Union members, leaders rally for justice for Jamar Clark

Underscoring the connection between labor rights and human rights, more than 200 Twin Cities union members and leaders rallied outside the Minneapolis 4th Precinct to support community demands for justice for Jamar Clark, the 24-year-old African-American man shot and killed by police.
 
Participants in Saturday’s rally joined members of the North Minneapolis community and Black Lives Matter activists who have held daily protests and maintained a constant presence at the site since Clark was killed Nov. 16. Saturday’s event came amidst renewed demands for release of video from the fatal incident.

Speakers spoke of the connection between labor rights and human rights and the devastating effects of racism in the workplace and society at large.

Jigme Ugen, vice president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, cited a “troubling imbalance of power” linked to poverty wages and racism that needs to be addressed if Minneapolis is to move forward.

American Federation of Teachers Executive Vice President Mary Cathryn Ricker said the fight for racial justice is in the community, in schools and in workplaces.

“The union movement and the civil rights movement have been allies from the beginning,” stated the former St. Paul Teachers Federation president.

“Community issues are union issues,” said Cathy Jones, second vice president of the Minneapolis NAACP and member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 9. “I don’t stop being a worker just because I’ve gone home from work.”

Kyle Edwards, rank and file member of AFSCME Local 3800 at the University of Minnesota, agreed, saying workers are starting to understand “we are all in this together.”

In contrast, Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation, had taken aim at the Minnesota labor movement the day before in comments on the Twin Cities PBS show Almanac.

“A lot of the protesters out there don’t live in the area,” claimed Kroll. “They’re with the service industry unions that back the mayor and they’re getting paid to be there.  Do you think these people have that time off work to camp out there all week long? No, these are professional protesters.”

Several speakers challenged the idea that the constant vigil in front of the precinct is being maintained by paid union staff. 

“There are men from the community who have been unable to get jobs. And they have been holding down this spot, 24-7,” said Mary Jo Felder, community and education organizer for the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation. “Those are people who should have jobs. And we are the labor movement.”

Kenneth Garnier, member of AFSCME Local 34, challenged police union leadership to educate their membership and to support policies that reflect the needs of the communities they serve.

“I work in human services and I’m a mandatory reporter. So if I see something that happens that’s wrong, by law I am required to report it and to do something about it. And the police unions have that same responsibility.”