The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing more than 105 million workers who work live, and struggle in 133 countries all over the world, strongly condemns the continuation of military interventions and wars, the accelerated militarization of international relations and confrontational rhetoric, the soaring of the military expenditures, as well as the NATO plans amid the escalating intra-imperialist confrontation. The 2024 ΝΑΤΟ summit which will take place in Washington D.C. on 9-10-11 July 2024, constitutes one more step toward the intensification of NATO’s aggressive imperialist plans, interventions, and wars.

NATO has already announced an increase of its military budget for 2024 by 12% to 2.03 billion euros and its civil budget by 18.2% to 438.1 million euros increasing even more the operating capacity of NATO Command Structure headquarters, missions, and operations around the world. This year’s figures confirm the continuation of an at least 10 years-long course of moving towards a “war economy” for the member states of NATO, with NATO’s Secretary General emphasizing that “burden sharing is improving within NATO” while military spending is up 18 percent across European Allies and Canada in 2024, and 23 member states will spend at least 2% of GDP in military spending this year.

The International class-oriented trade union movement unequivocally condemns the war plans of the imperialists and strongly opposes the uninterrupted increase of the NATO budget which sharpens even more the confrontation and deepens the preparations and the risk for a generalized imperialist conflict with disastrous consequences for the popular strata and the ordinary people who always pay the cost of the imperialist antagonism.

NATO’s history demonstrates nothing but interventions, wars, juntas, refugees, starvation, destruction, and death. In addition, the continued soaring in military spending constitutes a provocation for the people who constantly see their living standards affected due to generalized price rises, inflation, and long-term austerity policies.

The militant class-oriented trade union movement intensifies the struggle against imperialist wars and the system that creates them. The WFTU fights for the dissolution of NATO which constitutes an aggressive war machine in service of the imperialist interests of its member states, aiming to maintain, and expand if possible, the existing favorable correlation of forces for the NATO countries in order to safeguard the profits of their monopolies.

Simultaneously we reiterate our firm demand for the immediate dissolution of all military coalitions, the complete abolition of nuclear weapons, an immediate end to all imperialist armed conflicts, and full respect for the sovereignty, independence, and right of every people to freely choose their present and future. We denounce the exclusions, discriminations, embargoes, and sanctions imposed by the US, NATO, and the EU against various countries, negatively impacting the standard of living of low-income families, workers, poor small farmers, and popular strata in general.

The WFTU calls upon workers all over the globe, the militant trade unions to join the ranks and the struggles of the international class-oriented trade union movement for lasting peace, for a world free of imperialist interventions and man-by-man exploitation.

#WFTU #NATO #EU #Militarization #Imperialism #Exploitation #Peace #Labor #TradeUnion

Grand Rapids, MI – On Thursday, October 20, activists held signs under at Monument Park in Grand Rapids to oppose U.S. wars and aggression. The event aligned with the call to action by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) for a week of anti-war protests. Over 60 cities in the U.S. held an event to inform the public about the “endless wars,” no matter which party is in the White House.

The call to action encouraged organizers to get “back to the streets” to oppose U.S. and NATO-imposed wars and sanctions. Near the busiest intersection in downtown Grand Rapids, the group held signs with statements, “Stop endless wars” and “Money for human needs.”

On the bullhorn, Olivia Lashley led a call and response chant: “Money for education: not for war! Money for healthcare: not for war! Money for buses: not for war! Money for housing: not for war!”

Protesters also chanted, “Hands off Haiti!” “No war on Russia! No war on China!” “Free, free Palestine!” and “Free Alex Saab!” Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat the U.S. government illegally seized in 2020 and is now jailed in Miami, Florida.

The public’s response to the group’s signs was positive, with many passersby expressing their support and drivers honking with a fist raised.

According to several recent polls, including ones by POLITICO-Harvard, Pew Research Center and Monmouth University, foreign policy is not a top concern for U.S. voters leading into the November midterm election. Yet, U.S. intervention is escalating in countries like Haiti, Iran, Syria, Yemen and others.

Reading from the UNAC call to action, an attendee said, “While the U.S. pours more weapons into the proxy war in Ukraine – holding open the possibility of direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia – the war fanatics in Washington seem determined to start even more fires around the world.”

Organizers in Grand Rapids hope that a united protest opposing U.S. war and sanctions will build a stronger anti-war movement locally.

“The U.S. is spending billions of dollars on a proxy war in Ukraine when funding for schools, healthcare and housing is needed at home,” said Sam Tunningley with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We must speak out more aggressively against U.S. wars, sanctions and provocations.”

#GrandRapidsMI #AntiwarMovement #Peace #UnitedNationalAntiwarCoalitionUNAC

New York, NY – Activists gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate General on Fifth Avenue Dec. 9 to demand that Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process, Jess Dureza, uphold peace and justice in the Philippines.

The protest was called for by International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) and several organizations attended to stand in solidarity with the Philippines. Groups attending included NYC Students for Justice in Palestine, Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Anakbayan, and Bayan USA.

The protesters gathered and loudly chanted, “Brick by brick, wall by wall, free the prisoners, free them all!” as people walked past.

A series of speakers communicated the demands of ICHRP. Ana Robelo of NJ Anakbayan listed them, “the release of all political prisoners, to end militarization and counter-insurgency that terrorizes communities and activists defending their rights, and to support the ongoing peace talks between the government Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front to address the root causes of oppression and inequality that resulting in armed conflict in the Philippines.”

Robelo also touched upon Filipino political prisoners and urged listeners to learn from their experience, stating, “Take the example of political prisoners of Gerald Salonga and Guillermo Carano who were released this week, to use our skills and talents to fight fascism and defend our communities.”

Michela Martinazzi from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, made the connection between Rasmea Odeh’s case and the need to fight for political prisoners, “If Israel and the U.S. had gotten their way, Odeh would have been in prison and deported. But we did not rest! We packed the courtrooms and we rallied in solidarity! And today she's facing retrial after a successful appeals process. The truth is that when the empire strikes against us it reveals their fear of the people. It reveals the terror of our power. That's why we must demand the release of all political prisoners, because as long as we keep taking the streets and tearing down imperialism, the state will keep trying to push us down.”

After the speeches, the protesters were invited to speak to the Presidential Advisor Dureza and waited for an hour before finally being able to meet with him and his delegation. The protesters asked him what the future plans were and if he was able to at least ensure some of their demands, but Dureza kept giving contradictory answers.

However, the protesters will continue to demand justice, the freedom of all political prisoners and that the peace process be seen all the way through.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #humanRights #PoliticalRepression #Peace

St Paul, MN – On a cold and rainy April 10, several dozen people joined a Minneapolis-Saint Paul peace vigil to speak out against the danger of a new Korean war.

Every Wednesday, a peace vigil is held on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Due to the urgent situation in Korea, the organizers of the vigil designated April 10 as a day to focus on the crisis with an anti-war response.

Participants held signs as busy rush hour traffic went by. Many people waved and honked their car horns in support of the anti-war message.

Signs carried by participants included slogans such as: “No new Korean War,” No U.S. war in Korea,” and “Stop war games in Korea,” referring to the ongoing war games conducted by the U.S. and south Korea. Another sign read, “Say no to war – let DPRK live.” DPRK is the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the name of the northern Korean state.

Women Against Military Madness End War Committee and the Twin Cities Peace Campaign organize the weekly vigil.

On short notice, several other organizations signed on to the call for the April 10 vigil to respond to the Korea crisis and helped publicize the event. Groups endorsing the event included Anti-War Committee, Emergency Committee to Stop U.S. War in Korea, Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and Veterans for Peace.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “The Korean peninsula is at a flash point. U.S. war games, including sending nuclear bombers on a mission simulating the bombing of North Korea, only serve to bring Korea to the brink of a new war. We call for an end to the U.S. war games, for the U.S. to make a peace treaty to end the Korean War, and for an end to the sanctions on North Korea.”

At the end of the vigil participants gathered to hear brief remarks from organizers.

Chris Getowicz of the University of Minnesota chapter of Students for a Democratic Society said, “The government and the media in the U.S. continue to beat the war drums of agitation on the Korean peninsula. The government and media are building and maintaining the myth of North Korean hostility, when it is in fact the U.S. military presence that has maintained a divided Korean peninsula for 60 years. It is U.S. imperialism that has provoked hostilities on the Korean peninsula and we must challenge the notion that anyone other than the U.S. is maintaining a militarized and divided Korea.”

#StPaulMinnesota #StPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #Korea #DPRK #Peace