Painters

Painters Local 10 says Free Mahmoud Khalil

Class Struggle Workers resolution , , , ,
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades LOCAL UNION NO. 10 11105 N.E. SANDY BLVD. PORTLAND, OR 97220 www.iupatlocal10.org ● local10@iupatdc5.org PHONE: 503-257-0589 ● FAX: 503-262-5358 RESOLUTION FREE MAHMOUD KHALIL Whereas agents of the U.S. government arrested Mahmoud Khalil in New York City on Saturday, March 8, took him from his pregnant wife, and are holding him in a prison in Louisiana and are threatening to deport him from the U.S., and Whereas Khalil is a legal permanent resident of the United States, and Whereas Donald Trump and officials of his government have stated that Khalil is the "first of many" such legal residents they intend to deport, and Whereas according to the government's own statements, Khalil was arrested and his Green Card revoked as retaliation for his role as a spokesperson for student protests at Columbia University against the ongoing U.S. sponsored genocide of the Palestinian people, and Whereas the arrest of Khalil and the threats of deportations of pro-Palestinian student protesters are an offense against everyone's fundamental rights to freedom of speech and association, rights that are essential to our organization, therefore Be it resolved that Painters Local 10 demands that Mahmoud Khalil be freed immediately, and Resolved that Local 10 reiterates its call for labor action in defense of the besieged Palestinian people, and Resolved that this resolution shall be published immediately and communicated to Mahmoud Khalil's legal representatives. Resolution approved by the members in attendance at the regular meeting of Painters Local 10 on March 19, 2025.

RESOLUTION
FREE MAHMOUD KHALIL

Whereas agents of the U.S. government arrested Mahmoud Khalil in New York City on Saturday, March 8, took him from his pregnant wife, and are holding him in a prison in Louisiana and are threatening to deport him from the U.S., and

Whereas Khalil is a legal permanent resident of the United States, and

Whereas Donald Trump and officials of his government have stated that Khalil is the “first of many” such legal residents they intend to deport, and

Whereas according to the government’s own statements, Khalil was arrested and his Green Card revoked as retaliation for his role as a spokesperson for student protests at Columbia University against the ongoing U.S. sponsored genocide of the Palestinian people, and

Whereas the arrest of Khalil and the threats of deportations of pro-Palestinian student protesters are an offense against everyone’s fundamental rights to freedom of speech and association, rights that are essential to our organization, therefore

Be it resolved that Painters Local 10 demands that Mahmoud Khalil be freed immediately, and

Resolved that Local 10 reiterates its call for labor action in defense of the besieged Palestinian people, and

Resolved that this resolution shall be published immediately and communicated to Mahmoud Khalil’s legal representatives.

Resolution approved by the members in attendance at the regular meeting of Painters Local 10 on March 19, 2025.

Painters Local 10 says Defend Immigrants

Class Struggle Workers resolution , , , , , ,
Resolution To Defend Immigrants Against Mass Deportations and Racist Violence Whereas, Trump’s planned immigration raids have stoked racist, anti-immigrant violence, and Whereas, this goes together with his praise of billionaire Elon Musk’s strike-breaking, his stoking of divide-and-conquer bigotry and encouragement of violent far-right groups, and Whereas, immigrant workers are a central part of labor, vital to our labor organizations, and their rights are inseparable from those of the rest of the working class, and Whereas, a union is a self-defense organization for the working class as a whole, and Whereas, attacks either from the government or from groups of racist thugs pose a danger to workers everywhere, and Whereas, we cannot look to the government, the courts, politicians of either big-business party, or the police to protect immigrants from bigoted attacks, and Whereas, it is the duty of the unions to defend our fellow workers against oppression and racist attacks, and Whereas, an injury to one is an injury to all, Therefore, be it resolved that IUPAT Local 10 will mobilize its membership to defend immigrants who are under attack either from government raids or racist groups, and Be it further resolved that this body repudiates the vile attacks on immigrants and calls for the rest of labor to mobilize in defense of our fellow workers. Adopted by the membership of Painters Local 10 at the regular business meeting held on November 20, 2024.

Resolution To Defend Immigrants Against Mass Deportations and Racist Violence
Whereas, Trump’s planned immigration raids have stoked racist, anti-immigrant violence, and

Whereas, this goes together with his praise of billionaire Elon Musk’s strike-breaking, his stoking of divide-and-conquer bigotry and encouragement of violent far-right groups, and

Whereas, immigrant workers are a central part of labor, vital to our labor organizations, and their rights are inseparable from those of the rest of the working class, and

Whereas, a union is a self-defense organization for the working class as a whole, and

Whereas, attacks either from the government or from groups of racist thugs pose a danger to workers everywhere, and

Whereas, we cannot look to the government, the courts, politicians of either big-business party, or the police to protect immigrants from bigoted attacks, and

Whereas, it is the duty of the unions to defend our fellow workers against oppression and racist attacks, and

Whereas, an injury to one is an injury to all,

Therefore, be it resolved that IUPAT Local 10 will mobilize its membership to defend immigrants who are under attack either from government raids or racist groups, and

Be it further resolved that this body repudiates the vile attacks on immigrants and calls for the rest of labor to mobilize in defense of our fellow workers.

Adopted by the membership of Painters Local 10 at the regular business meeting held on November 20, 2024.

Painters Local 10 calls for workers action against war on Gaza

Class Struggle Workers resolution , , , , , ,
WHEREAS solidarity with workers everywhere is a crucial part of labor unionism, and the workers’ struggle has no borders. WHEREAS every day now we are seeing the horrifying bombing and massive killing of the working people of Gaza and their children with arms supplied by the same U.S. government that carries out strike breaking against workers here. Over 20,000 have already been killed and the death toll is slated to grow higher day by day. WHEREAS working-class opposition to this U.S./Israel war goes hand in hand with the Labor motto, “An injury to one is an injury to all” as well as the call, “Arab, Jewish, black and white, workers of the world unite.” THEREFORE, be it resolved that IUPAT Painters Local 10 supports the Palestinian trade unions’ call for labor everywhere to stop the shipment of arms for this U.S./Israel war; that we salute dock and transport workers in Barcelona, Belgium, Italy, and elsewhere who have stated their refusal to handle arms shipments for this war; and that we support and encourage efforts for such workers’ actions here in the U.S. to stop the arms shipments; and Be it further resolved that, opposing what is in effect yet another U.S. war, this time against the people of Gaza; we call for the immediate end to Israel’s bombing of Gaza; for Israel to vacate Gaza and the West Bank, and to end all arming and funding for it now. Resolution approved by the membership of Painters Local 10 at their regular business meeting December 20, 2023.

WHEREAS solidarity with workers everywhere is a crucial part of labor unionism, and the workers’ struggle has no borders.

WHEREAS every day now we are seeing the horrifying bombing and massive killing of the working people of Gaza and their children with arms supplied by the same U.S. government that carries out strike breaking against workers here. Over 20,000 have already been killed and the death toll is slated to grow higher day by day.

WHEREAS working-class opposition to this U.S./Israel war goes hand in hand with the Labor motto, “An injury to one is an injury to all” as well as the call, “Arab, Jewish, black and white, workers of the world unite.”

THEREFORE, be it resolved that IUPAT Painters Local 10 supports the Palestinian trade unions’ call for labor everywhere to stop the shipment of arms for this U.S./Israel war; that we salute dock and transport workers in Barcelona, Belgium, Italy, and elsewhere who have stated their refusal to handle arms shipments for this war; and that we support and encourage efforts for such workers’ actions here in the U.S. to stop the arms shipments; and

Be it further resolved that, opposing what is in effect yet another U.S. war, this time against the people of Gaza; we call for the immediate end to Israel’s bombing of Gaza; for Israel to vacate Gaza and the West Bank, and to end all arming and funding for it now.

Resolution approved by the membership of Painters Local 10 at their regular business meeting December 20, 2023.

Saturday, December 9: Labor’s Fight to Free Mumia

Class Struggle Workers flier, forum , , ,

Labor’s Fight to Free Mumia
Saturday, December 9 2023 at 2pm

Musicians Local 99
325 NE 20th Avenue Portland, OR 97232

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Now!

Painters Union Local 10 invites you to an educational forum on the fight to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and the history of working-class struggle against racist police repression. Workers strikes and protest mobilizations have helped to save Mumia, an innocent man, from America’s racist death penalty. Now the power of the workers movement must be unleashed to free our brother, who has been behind bars since 1982.

RSVP for more information: freemumiapdx@eml.cc

Vote Wyatt M. & Alex G. for Delegates from Local 10

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As members of Local 10, our record speaks for itself. We have taken the lead on standing up to the contractors when they tried to grab for our pension, building for a strike and organizing our co-workers. We have served on several committees, including the contract committee. Now painters’ hands aren’t tied by “binding arbitration.” We served on the Volunteer Activist committee, and the Anti-racist Mobilization committee, where we were able to mobilize our local to oppose the “Patriot Prayer” fascists.

We have supported translation, both for union meetings and for apprenticeship classes, because our Spanish speaking sisters and brothers are the life blood of our local and should have no barrier to full education, promotion, and participation in our union. Wyatt fought for years to get our contracts translated into Spanish. Finally, they are.

We also stand on the slogan “An Injury to One is an Injury to All”. All workers are our sisters and brothers, and any attack on workers rights is an attack on our rights. We need to build workers defense guards to stand up to racist and fascist groups. We stand for women’s rights, the right to free childcare, and in defense of abortion rights. We need to tear down divisions between the trades. A picket line means don’t cross. We are for massive united action of all the trades against the bosses.

We need to break with the Democrats, the Republicans, and all parties of the bosses and build real class struggle workers party. We need to untie our hands and fight to win.

Vote on Saturday, June 8, any time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at any of three locations:

Local 10 hall, 11105 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97220

Best Western, 3125 Ryan Dr. SE, Salem, OR 97301

Plumbers & Pipefitters 290 Training Center, 2861 Pierce Parkway, Springfield, OR 97477

Only Vote For Class-Struggle Candidates!

Vota por Alex G. para delegado a la conferencia nacional del IUPAT

Class Struggle Workers elections, en español ,

(Click here for a version in English)

Estimados compañeros y compañeras: me presento como candidato por ser delegado de Local 10 a la conferencia nacional del Sindicato de Pintores y Oficios Afines (IUPAT por sus siglas en inglés). En la conferencia, quiero representar los mismos principios clasistas por los cuales soy conocido en el sindicato local. Necesito su voto.

Soy pintor comercial, calificado de journeyman, graduado de nuestro sistema de aprendices. Soy un militante socialista y sindical de toda la vida. En el Local 10, los miembros me conocen por insistir en la transformación de nuestro sindicato en instrumento de lucha de todos los pintores y tayperos. Creo que muchos están de acuerdo conmigo en que nuestra unión debe estar lista para librar una huelga poderosa y eficaz para liberar a los pintores de nuestros salarios de miseria. Participé en el “comité consultivo” del contrato de 2017, exigiendo el “5-5-5” (aumento anual de $5) y un plan serio para la huelga. Encabecé la resistencia en Siegner a la aplicación espía “T-sheets.” Varios de nosotros estamos organizando a los pintores y tayperos para defender nuestra pensión contra la inagotable avaricia de los patrones, empujando el programa de escuadrones como “equipos de acción,” y enfrentando a los dirigentes que descartan las preparaciones concretas para una huelga.

Los dirigentes de nuestro sindicato ostentan como lema “la colaboración [con las empresas] rinde,” y gastan nuestras cuotas jugando al golf con los patrones. Por el contrario, insisto en que los capitalistas no son nuestros socios, sino nuestros explotadores. Lo poco que tenemos se puede defender sólo por medio de la movilización de nuestro poder de clase. Nuestro trabajo es la fuente de todas las ganancias de los patrones. Fortalezcamos a la unión mostrando a los trabajadores no sindicalizados que somos serios y que no nos dejamos intimidar. Creo en la solidaridad obrera, no en la ilusión que haya intereses comunes entre los obreros y los patrones. Esto significa que debemos oponernos al racismo y a los prejuicios antiinmigrantes en todas partes, porque lo que nos divide nos debilita frente al patrón. Quien busca envenenar al movimiento obrero con el racismo y el chovinismo es nuestro enemigo. El movimiento obrero debe exigir plenos derechos de ciudadanía para todos los inmigrantes.

El local 10 llegó ser conocido al nivel nacional por nuestra toma de posición sobre estas cuestiones. Fui uno de los escritores de nuestra moción histórica que proclamó el compromiso del Local 10 para movilizarnos contra organizaciones fascistas y racistas, y estuve presente junto con otros sindicalistas en las primeras filas contra los matones de “Patriot Prayer”. El movimiento obrero tiene la fuerza para barrer a estos aspirantes a nazis, pero hay que usarla antes de que sea demasiado tarde. Ahora el consejo regional 14 del IUPAT de Chicago, y la AFL-CIO del estado de Illinois se nos han sumado al aprobar también nuestra moción antifascista. Sus palabras de apoyo deben llenar de orgullo a cada militante del Local 10. Pero hay que pasar de las palabras a la acción. Como delegado, buscaré difundir el ejemplo que han dado el Local 10 y el DC 14. Nuestra experiencia en Portland, y la historia trágica del ascenso de Hitler en los años 1930 demuestran que los políticos liberales o demócratas y sus policías no van a parar a los terroristas fascistas. Tenemos que estar preparados para defender a nuestros sindicatos y a nuestras comunidades contra estos productos mortíferos del sistema capitalista en decadencia.

Junto a otros miembros del Local 10 presenté nuestra moción de agosto de 2016 rechazando a los Demócratas como partido patronal, así como todos los partidos y políticos de la burguesía, llamando, en cambio, por un partido obrero de lucha clasista. Todos saben que Trump es un intolerante racista que odia a los sindicatos. Pero no se puede combatir a Trump con los Demócratas. Éstos, desde Bernie Sanders hasta Joe Biden, son representantes de la clase capitalista que vive de nuestro trabajo y gobierna por medio de su sistema brutal y racista de opresión y guerra alrededor del mundo. Representaré al Local 10 en la conferencia oponiéndome a cualquier apoyo a los Demócratas, o a cualquier partido patronal. En este país los patrones tienen dos partidos. Nosotros los trabajadores necesitamos el nuestro, para dirigir la lucha de clases hacia un gobierno obrero.

Para votar, hay que estar al día con la cuota de Local 10, y hay que presentarse en la reunión sindical del 15 de mayo. Llame por teléfono a la oficina sindical, 503-257-0589, para averiguar su estatus. Asista a la reunión, el miércoles 15 de mayo a las 6 p.m., en uno de estos lugares: Local 10 hall, 11105 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, 97220; Best Western, 3125 Ryan Dr. SE, Salem, 97301; Plumbers & Pipefitters 290 Training Center 2861 Pierce Parkway, Springfield, 97477.

¿Preguntas? cswp@csw-pdx.org o 503-303-8278.

Vote Alex G. for IUPAT Convention Delegate

Class Struggle Workers elections ,

(Haz clic aquí para leer en español)

Dear fellow union members: I have been nominated to represent Painters and Drywall Finishers Local 10 at this year’s international convention of the painters union. I want to represent Local 10 at our convention by standing for the same militant class-struggle principles that I have become known for in our Local, and I need your vote.

I am a journeyman commercial painter, graduate of our apprenticeship, and have been a lifelong socialist and union activist. In Local 10, members know that I have consistently pushed to transform our local into a fighting instrument of all painters and tapers. I think I speak for many in saying that our union must be ready to wage a powerful and effective strike to break painters out of our poverty-level wages. I was active on the painters’ 2017 “contract advisory” committee, demanding “5-5-5” and a serious strike plan. I led the resistance at Siegner to the privacy-invading “T-sheets” spyware app. A number of us have been working to get finishers and painters organized to defend our pension against the bosses’ insatiable greed, promoting the “member action team” squad program and challenging the union leaders who argued against real strike preparations.

Our union leaders say “partnership works” and spend our dues money playing charity golf with our boss-“partners.” I say the capitalists are not our partners, they are our exploiters. We can only defend what little we have by mobilizing our working-class power. We created all the bosses’ wealth with our labor. We can grow our union by showing non-union workers that we mean business and won’t be pushed around. I stand for workers solidarity, not the illusion of common interests with the bosses. That means opposing racism and anti-immigrant prejudice at every turn, because whatever divides us weakens us against the bosses. Whoever seeks to poison the labor movement with racism and national chauvinism is our enemy. Labor must demand full citizenship rights for all immigrants.

Local 10 has gained national recognition for our stand on these issues. I helped to write our historic resolution committing Local 10 to mobilize against fascist and racist groups, and I have stood with painters, tapers and other union militants on the front lines against “Patriot Prayer” thugs. Labor has the numbers and power to sweep the wannabe Nazis off our streets, but we have to use it before it’s too late. Now the Chicago IUPAT District Council 14 and Illinois AFL-CIO have joined Local 10 in committing to mobilize against the fascists. Their words should fill every Local 10 member with pride. But they must be turned into disciplined action. As a delegate, I will seek to spread the example that we in Local 10 and DC 14 painters have set. Our experience in Portland, and the tragic history of the rise of Hitler in the 1930s, shows that liberal Democratic politicians and their police won’t stop the fascist terrorists. We must be prepared to defend our unions and our working class communities against this deadly product of the decaying capitalist system.

In Local 10, I along with several others put forward our August 2016 resolution rejecting the bosses’ Democratic Party and all capitalist parties and politicians, calling instead for a class-struggle workers party. Everyone knows Trump is a union-hating racist bigot. But we can’t fight Trump with Democrats. The Democrats from Bernie Sanders to Joe Biden are representatives of the capitalist class that lives off our labor and rules through its brutal, racist system of world-wide oppression and war. I will represent Local 10 at the convention by opposing any support or endorsement for the Democrats, or any bosses’ party. The bosses have two parties. We need our own party to lead the workers class struggle, for a workers government.

To vote, you must be a Local 10 member in good standing, and you must attend the May 15 monthly union meeting. Call the union office at 503-257-0589 to verify that you are in good standing. Come to the union meeting at 6 p.m., Wednesday May 15. Choose from three locations: Local 10 hall, 11105 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, 97220; Best Western, 3125 Ryan Dr. SE, Salem, 97301; Plumbers & Pipefitters 290 Training Center 2861 Pierce Parkway, Springfield, 97477.

Questions? Contact me at cswp@csw-pdx.org or 503-303-8278.

Wyatt McMinn para vicepresidente, IUPAT Local 10

Class Struggle Workers elections, en español , ,

English version here

Wyatt at work
Wyatt trabajando

Quiero anunciar mi candidatura a la vicepresidencia del Local 10 de nuestro sindicato, el IUPAT (pintores y drywaleros). Actualmente, soy delegado al consejo regional de la unión (DC 5). Soy presidente del comité de activistas voluntarios (VAC) en el Local 10, y formo parte de la subcomisión de negociación del contrato. Esta última fue fundamental para liberar a los pintores del arbitraje obligatorio que estipulaba el contrato. He tenido el privilegio de cumplir dos mandatos en la junta directiva de nuestro Local. En ese tiempo formulé la propuesta para establecer el MASH Fund (fondo de asistencia para los miembros). Impulsé la traducción de los contratos colectivos al español. Además, he sido elegido tres veces como delegado al congreso estatal de la AFL-CIO. En el congreso de 2015, presenté y defendí la moción para movilizar el poder sindical contra el falsamente llamado “derecho al trabajo” (“right to work”). Representé con orgullo a nuestro sindicato en varios eventos y actividades sindicales, como nuestro contingente en el Primero de Mayo, desde hace muchos años.

Como sindicato y como movimiento obrero enfrentamos tiempos difíciles. Esto exige una estrategia para organizar a los no organizados, para unirnos a través de las divisiones gremiales contra los patrones, para oponernos a todo intento de dividirnos mediante el racismo y el sexismo, y para romper las cadenas que nos atan al partido Demócrata, como hizo nuestro Local cuando resolvimos no dar ningún apoyo a los demócratas ni republicanos, ni a ningún partido de los patrones. Como vicepresidente del Local 10, he apoyado esta estrategia, trabajando para organizar a los pintores no sindicalizados de Edwards Painting y apoyando la campaña de organización sindical en Burgerville.

El Primero de Mayo de este año nuestra consigna fue “defender a los inmigrantes, romper con los demócratas y republicanos, forjar un partido obrero de lucha clasista”. Nuestro Local se ha puesto en la primera fila al impulsar la política de usar el poder de la clase obrera para defender a los inmigrantes, movilizarse contra los fascistas y supremacistas blancos y oponerse a la legislación anti-laboral. No es secreto que nos encontramos bajo ataque – del parte de los patrones, el gobierno y otras fuerzas reaccionarias – y hay que resistir. Tenemos en nuestras manos el poder no solo para resistir estos ataques, sino para derrotarlos, en el camino a que la clase obrera llegue al poder.

En solidaridad,

Wyatt McMinn