WHEREAS:

It is a rare moment of hope in Ireland, all Americans of good will want to see peace talks in Belfast under the chairmanship of an American Special Envoy, bring about a just and lasting peace; and

WHEREAS:

The American labor movement has for decades understood that working people are the main victims of the conflict. In consultation with Irish trade unionists we have supported justice, equality, unity, and all steps toward reconciliation and a just and lasting solution and the American labor movement has consistently demanded that the U.S. government and the British government adopt a constructive approach; and

WHEREAS:

People in Northern Ireland who for years have been leading peaceful resistance to sectarian bigotry of unwanted Orange Order marches, after reflecting on what changes and what guarantees of rights for all are needed for nationalists and unionists to be able to build a future as equals, have designed The Charter for Change which corresponds to the basic ideas of equality and liberty, and democracy and civil rights enshrined in sacred documents such as the American Bill of Rights in domestic and international law and simple fair play; and

WHEREAS:

The denial of equality and full rights for all has been the root cause of the conflict in Northern Ireland. All people everywhere should have these rights and so should people in the North of Ireland no matter what governance structures are negotiated by the parties and the governments by May 1998; and

WHEREAS:

The American role in the Irish peace process arose because Americans demanded it and President Clinton wisely offered to bring U.S. encouragement to bear.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

AFSCME warmly welcomes and endorses the Charter for Change as a democratic idea which points the way to peace, justice, and reconciliation, in Ireland. We will send this resolution and a copy of the Charter for Change promptly to President Clinton and his foreign policy advisers so that he knows what the American labor movement expects out of these talks. We will communicate our views to the rest of the American labor movement and to trade unionists in Britain who wish to see the new British Labor government do the right thing for peace in Ireland and to make a new start for British working people. The high hopes of this movement must be fully realized.