The mass protest movement against the murder and lynching of George Floyd and many many others has led to a struggle in the labor movement about the role of the police whether they should be in the unions. The AFL-CIO as well as other unoins have thousands of police members.

Last month, the Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Council in Seattle after a sharp debate, voted to throw the police out of the council. At the same time, ATU and TWU bus drivers in New York and Chicago have refused to transport arrested protesters.

One ATU 241 member Erek Slater in Chicago was removed by the police and terminated after he had a discussion with members at his bus barn on the position of the ATU International.

This forum will look at these issues and what labor should do.
Panelists:
Gabriel Prawl, Former Seattle ILWU Local 52 president and A. Philipp Randolph Institute Seattle Chapter President
Jack Heyman,  Retired ILWU Local 10 Member and Former ITF Bay Area Agent
Erek Slater, ATU 242 Bus Driver & Executive Board Member
Leith Kahl, ILWU Local 19 Seattle
Brenda Barros, SEIU 1021 SF General Hospital Chapter Chair