Solidarity with Erek Slater

Union activist Erek Slater from Chicago is fighting in court against the arbitrary dismissal he suffered from the Chicago bus company for being in active solidarity at the "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations and for defending democratic reforms in the union. The trial will take place on April 19th and it will be very important for International Labour Network organizations to send motions of solidarity to the Chicago authorities. Below is a text and email template to send the motions to: 
 -The Mayor of Chicago: letterforthemayor@cityofchicago.org
-The Chicago Transit Authority Board: boardoffice@transitchicago.com
-Copy to: erek111@yahoo.com
 

“Resolution is support of fired American transit worker and unionist

We […] demand that the Chicago government back off of their attacks against workers’ democratic rights.

17 year veteran CTA Bus Operator Erek Slater was elected by coworkers to be their union shop steward three times. When the mass protests erupted against the murder of George Floyd in 2020, he led a union meeting in the workers' parking lot to read and discuss the international unions' position on workers rights to safe working conditions. Management falsely accused Erek of leading a wildcat strike and fired him. In November of 2022, workers put Erek on the official ballot for President of their union. When workers came to the bus garages to discuss their campaign to reform the union towards independent worker control, better working conditions, and expansion of public transit, management demanded that Erek leave CTA property. They repeatedly broke the workers' contract and labor law and called the Chicago Police Department to have Erek removed from the workers' lunch rooms all over the city. The day before the election they had the police arrest Erek and hold him in jail for 8 hours.

We join the call that the city drop all charges against him, return him to work and take their hands off the workers’ unions.”

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