We will not tolerate Cyber-bulling as a Presidential response!
In an interview by Erin Burnett on CNN, Chuck Jones, President of United Steelworkers Local 1999, criticized President-elect Donald Trump for inflating the number of jobs saved at the Carrier plant in his area. Jones also noted appreciation to Trump and saving the livelihood of the 700 or so jobs that would be conserved at the Indiana Carrier plant.
Trump, whose followers number in the tens of millions, responded by attacking Jones via Twitter in two separate tweets. Within 30 minutes of these tweets, Jones started receiving threats to him and his children saying, they would burn his house down, shoot him, and “We’re coming for you.”
“When you attack a man for living an ordinary life in an ordinary job, it is bullying,” Nicolle Wallace, communications director for George Bush and a top Republican strategist, told the New York Times. “This is a strategy to bully somebody who dissents. That’s what is dark and disturbing.”
“This is a regular guy, like me working to provide a better life for his family and trying to save the jobs of his co-workers. As President-elect, you would think Trump would be tolerant when a citizen uses his First Amendment right. If Trump can’t handle criticism, he shouldn’t lie.”
SEIU Local 105 calls upon President-elect Donald Trump to apologize to President Jones and the membership of USW Local 1999 for the harm he has caused to him, his family, and the membership.
“President-elect Donald Trump leveling his Twitter cannon against a private citizen who dared criticize him is a frightening new development in our democratic society. No previous President has done something like this. This action is an attack on unions and our members, as well as being a new threat to free speech. I am proud that our Executive Board of member leaders decided to stand in solidarity with Chuck Jones and United Steelworkers, Local 1999, and for standing up to defend the principles of American freedom and democracy.” ~Ron Ruggiero, President SEIU Local 105
********
Resolution passed unanimously by SEIU Local 105’s member Executive Board on December 8, 2016, in Denver, Colorado.
Whereas, unions are living democracies in our workplaces and our communities;
Whereas, unions stand for the fundamental American values of democracy and freedom;
Whereas, unions hold dear our guaranteed Constitutional Rights of free speech, the right of assembly and to peacefully protest, a free press, all other Constitutional freedoms and the right to organize and bargain collectively;
Whereas, President-elect Donald J. Trump has irresponsibly attacked a local union leader on social media, the President of the United Steelworkers Local 1999 Chuck Jones, because he criticized him;
Whereas, as a result of these attacks, President Jones is now receiving threats to him and his family;
Therefore, be it resolved that SEIU Local 105 stands in solidarity with President Jones and the membership of USW Local 1999;
Be it further resolved, that SEIU Local 105 asserts the right of all Americans to freely offer their opinions or criticisms of any public official, including President-elect Donald Trump, as one of the precious American rights of Free Speech;
Be it further resolved that SEIU Local 105 calls upon President-elect Donald Trump to apologize to President Jones and the membership of USW Local 1999 for the harm he has caused to him, his family, and the membership.
For Members and Allies:
- Sign the Solidarity Card to Stand with Working People at Carrier.
- Share this post along with #ImwithChuck.
- Be intolerant of intolerance! Speak up and speak out. We will not let fear rule us!
Also read: the AFL-CIO Press Release Chuck Jones Is Not a ‘Union Boss’
