LABOR

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On Monday October 26th, 2009, the San Francisco Labor Council (SFLC) passed a resolution in support of the Cuban Five and their rights for family visitation. The Cuban Five are five men who came to the United States to monitor anti Cuban terrorist groups in Miami to protect the lives of not just Cubans but U.S. citizens as well.  They are facing lengthy sentences and have been incarcerated for over 11 years. As this case gains international support there has been a significant increase in the number of resolutions by unions and city councils and the support of personalities in the U.S.  This particular resolution was brought up to the Executive Board of the SFLC by the American Federation of Teachers local 2121, that passed a similar resolution on August 25th and amongst other things stated that they will ask the SFLC for endorsement.

The San Francisco Labor Council is the local body of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and serves as headquarters to the Labor Community in San Francisco. The SFLC represents more than 100,000 union members and their families who belong to over 150 affiliate unions.  The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the United States and Canada.

The SFLC Resolution, calls for President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to consider the violation of International Covenant and due process for a fair trial associated with the conviction and imprisonment of the Cuban Five. The resolution also calls for diplomatic improvement in the relationship between the United States and Cuba. Additionally it calls for the pardon and release of the Cuban Five to their homeland. It also demands that the US government to immediately grants visas to Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez to visit their husbands in prison. And finally the SFLC calls on President Richard Trumpka of the AFL-CIO to send a letter to President Obama expressing support for the content of the resolution.

Copies of this important resolution will be sent to President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder, California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other Bay Area Congressional members, including State Senate members Mark Leno and Leland Yee, California State Assembly members Tom Ammiano and Fiona Ma, and all the members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.