The Duluth Central Labor Body, which represents roughly 17,000 workers, has unanimously passed a resolution opposing the prosecution of the RNC Eight (pictured). The measure also calls for repeal of the state law under which the defendants have been charged with criminally conspiring to disrupt September’s Republican National Convention (RNC). Describing the prosecutions as “politically motivated,” the resolution implores labor unions across the state to oppose the actions of the Ramsey County Attorney’s office.
Chad McKenna, field coordinator for the labor body, says that they were motivated by a concern that such prosecutions could lead to people being arrested for engaging in routine protest activities such as walking picket lines.
“We work with the peace movement quite a bit in our area,” he says. “The broad net that was cast by the anti-terrorism act and the prosecution of the RNC Eight could affect things that we do typically.”
McKenna says there was no dissent among the roughly 50 delegates who voted on the measure.
“This was actually the second month that we’ve talked about it,” he notes. “We gave folks a month to digest the resolution.”
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