First Published: The Worker, for Hawaii, Vol. 1, No. 6, March 1976.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The Worker received the following news release from the National Center of the Unemployed Workers Organizing Committee (UWOC).
THE UNEMPLOYED WORKERS’ ORGANIZING COMMITTEE with fighting organization growing in 30 major cities across the country, today stated that we join with VIETNAM VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR and, along with this organization, send out the call: JOIN US JULY 4th in PHILADELPHIA to represent our real feelings and intentions.
At this time and this event no amount of their grandstand double talk can cover up the serious crisis and the conditions of our lives today. And all this talk is consciously designed to create the impression that the talkers wish to convey, that all is well and that they are taking care of and represent our needs. This is so far from the truth. They have never done so. They push the unreality of “We’re all in the same family”–“no difference between us–rulers and ruled–workers and owners.” Where is the reality of that? To those of us out of work this “no difference” is the difference between having to live and not having. The facts can’t be hidden..
Though we workers have built all there is in this country of ours, we now face lives of great destitution and starvation. We face working conditions so bad we may not survive them. Is this something to celebrate? Is this something to rush to say “200 years of the greatest?” True, we helped to defeat and send the British running–and it was our forefathers who were working people that did this. True–we aim to live lives of all for one and one for all–yes, this is our goal..
But we have learned much since the beginning. All our winnings–we’ve fought for–our blood, our sacrifice, our sweat and toil and our working class unity and action has been our strength and power. 200 years of our producing. Now: After 5 to 35 years of work we are told: “You think you should have income? You think you should have a job? And what job do we get offered? Minimum wage or less–and only for a few. Or–a uniform in the military– a job they push at us on the unemployment lines these days–as the job that’s around! To keep this way of life going and protect their wealth, they want us to go to war and keep them afloat. We know who makes the sacrifices in their wars, and it isn’t them. ALONG WITH V.V.A.W., UNEMPLOYED WORKERS ALL OVER ARE SAYING: “WE WONT FIGHT ANOTHER RICH MAN’S WAR.”.
UWOC CHAPTERS all across the country are building for July 4th. Hundreds of thousands of signatures on our petitions will express our immediate demands–we shall say, deal with the source of our misery– JOBS OR INCOME...WE’VE CARRIED THE RICH FOR 200 YEARS. LET’S GET THEM OFF OUR BACK BACKS.....