The following statement was endorsed by IATSE Local 28 on April 14, and by IUPAT Local 10 on April 15, 2015. What’s urgently needed is to mobilize the power of organized labor to protest the epidemic of racist murder by the police.

On February 11th, 2015 an unarmed Antonio Zambrano Montes was brutally murdered in a hail of police bullets after being accused of throwing rocks. The 35 year old apple picker and father of two was shown in videos of the incident to be running away from police, then turning with his empty hands outstretched as police opened fire.

Such cold disregard for human life is not out of the ordinary for Pasco police, as this became the third such incident in recent weeks. The nearly all-white police force in Pasco is used to getting its own way, and patrols a population that is at least 60% latino. In light of the recent protests in Ferguson, MO against the murder of Michael Brown and subsequent findings of thoroughly racist practices of the local police there, the rot at the core of policing in America has been laid bare.

As unionists and workers, we condemn the racist murder of a fellow worker, Antonio Zambrano Montes, and we call on all unions to mobilize with the people of Pasco against the racist bosses and their good ol’ boys in blue.