National “Sick of War” Sick Day
- A Proposal by Workers Against War

The working class has nothing to gain and everything to lose from the wars being waged by our ruling class.

We are expected to pay for every crime and bloody mistake made by the ruling class. It is our sisters and brothers, and our sons and daughters that are to die for rich peoples’ schemes of world domination.

We are expected to spill the blood of other working people who have done us no harm.

We are expected to bear the mass lay-offs, shredding of our democratic rights and violations of our privacy and dignity.

We are expected to suffer in large numbers while an exploiting and oppressing minority of rich people gets richer.

We are expected to bear our share of “sacrifice” – which is usually the entire weight.

We are expected to sit down, shut up and be good little obedient slaves.

We are NOT expected to realize that the working class is the overwhelming majority and that we have the power to not only stop the war, but to also create a system that serves our needs instead of the greed of a few.

Workers Can End the War – By Refusing to Work

Working people are the real majority and we are in a position to end this war immediately. We run the machines, haul the cargo, load the planes and ships, drive the buses and trains and create all of the wealth that those who rule take as their own. Without us the ruling class would have nothing – not even the clothes on their backs.

As workers, we are used to the idea that we must sell our ability work in order to survive. Now it is time to consider the idea that we may have to withhold our ability to work in order to survive. If workers across the US decided to stop working until the war ended, it would only be a matter of days, if not hours, before the first soldiers were on the planes heading home.

In order to send the message that we are serious about stopping the war, and capable of doing it, working people must organize themselves for a national “Sick of War” sick day. Workers Against War has been formed with the purpose of bringing this plan forward to all anti-war, social justice and working class organizations and individuals with the hope that they will form their own “Sick of War Committees” to build and promote this event in whatever way they can.

Workers Against War is proposing the date of October 26th, 2007 for the “Sick of War” sick day. This will provide an opportunity for last minute promotion of and participation in the major regional anti-war demonstrations being organized by United for Peace & Justice on the following day.

The basis of unity for the “Sick of War” sick day should simply be that we are all sick of war. Workers Against War is proposing the slogan “Are you sick of war? Call in sick on October 26th!” as the unifying theme of this event. All organizations and individuals are encouraged to incorporate additional demands and slogans that address the issues important to them.

In addition to this broad appeal for a national “Sick of War” sick day, Workers Against War aims to build a solidly working class formation within the anti-war movement. In order to do this we are calling on all working people who agree with the 3 demands listed below to organize their own local chapters of Workers Against War. Our main purpose between now and October 26th will be to make the “Sick Day” a reality, but we must also look beyond any one particular action and begin preparations for a national convention to formulate more demands and to plan our next steps.

If you are a working person, and this idea appeals to you, please get in touch.

WorkersAgainstWar-AT-gmail.com

Workers Against War – 3 Demands

• An immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all US troops and private mercenaries from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The continued military and corporate occupation of both of these countries has nothing to do with any humanitarian concerns or with “making us safe” but has everything to do with economic interests. If corporations want to steal other countries resources, let them send their boards of directors and stockholders to fight and die.

• An immediate end to the phony “War on Terror”.

The “War on Terror” is merely a cover for endless wars of aggression in pursuit of profits for the ruling class. In reality, this has been a “War of Terror” waged not only against the populations of Iraq and Afghanistan, but also against Lebanese civilians, Palestinians fighting for their homeland, Colombian trade union organizers, supporters of democracy in Haiti and the Philippines… the list goes on and on. The doctrines of “Regime Change” and “Preemptive War” are designed to remove threats to rich peoples’ wallets, not to stop terrorists. In fact, the “War on Terror” is likely to create more terrorism. Who usually dies in terror attacks? - Working people.

The “War on Terror” is also a war on working people in the US. Strikes have been broken for “national security” reasons and the largest teachers’ union was labeled a “terrorist organization” by Bush’s Secretary of Education. Repressive laws such as the USA-PATRIOT Act, the Homeland Security Act, the Military Commissions Act and others have enabled the government to violate the privacy of all people and have stripped us of basic democratic rights. The immigrant community, especially Arabs, Muslims and South Asians has been terrorized by the “War on Terror”. Many thousands have been arrested and held with little or no access to lawyers or their families. If it is true that “the terrorists hate us for our freedom”, then we should stop worrying. Soon there will be no freedom left for them to hate.

• A Thoroughgoing Democratic Renewal of Society

A workers’ movement against war can not limit itself to ending only one of the many injustices that we face in our daily lives. Even if the war were to stop tomorrow, many working people would still be without health insurance, a living wage, educational opportunities, housing, etc. A movement capable of stopping the war would be able to achieve all of our demands and bring about a truly democratic society that serves the interests of the majority of the population – the working class.