We are opposed to this undemocratic attack because it seeks to deprive the working class of Seattle of a valuable platform which has benefitted countless struggles for improved conditions — most notably the victorious struggle for a $15/ hour minimum wage, which was first won in Seattle following a campaign spearheaded by Kshama. Since being elected 2013 (and re-elected in 2015 and 2019), Kshama’s council office have also led the fight for the taxation of big business, leading to the successful battle for the “Amazon Tax” which has won billions of dollars to fight homelessness, build affordable housing and fund a Green New Deal in Seattle.
In addition, Kshama has provided crucial assistance, including important victories, in struggles around police brutality and racism, tenants’ rights, environmental protection and the rights of indigneous people.
The bogus charges which are being put forward to justify the recall all relate to Kshama’s office playing a role in helping support protest movements, in particular Black Lives Matter, which has had powerful reverberations around the world.
The Seattle establishment wants to remove Kshama in order to weaken the threat of mass movements, protect their super profits and property from taxation, and deal a blow to the growing US socialist movement. This is an attack on the right of trade unionists, climate campaigners, feminist and anti-racist movements and must be resisted. It is an attack against workers and socialist worldwide.
Councilmember Sawant’s position has been a critical tool for supporting the struggles of workers and the oppressed internationally. She has been a consistent voice for socialist internationalism when the ruling elites of many countries have increased their drumming up of nationalistic rhetoric, including in the US where the cold war with Chinese imperialism is heating up.
Kshama Sawant has stood with the movement for reproductive rights in Ireland which overturned the ban on abortion, against Narendra Modi’s right-wing anti-Muslim policies in India and recently joining the call for US President Biden to suspend big pharma’s private hoarding of their vaccine research to address the on-going Covid-19 crisis and much more. In this way, workers and socialists around the world have a direct interest in defeating the right-wing Recall campaign against her.
The struggle against this Recall is also crucial because of the precedent which removing Kshama would set, for the potential removal of socialists from elected office in a political situation of growing opportunity for the Left in the US and internationally. If a socialist city council member can be removed from office in this way, every socialist office holder will be under threat. We need more, not fewer, socialists in office.
We undertake to do all we can to spread the word in our countries and organizations about this right-wing attack and attempt to build support for the Kshama Solidarity Campaign.
* = In personal capacity
Austria
Ulrike Rathmanner – Shop steward Caritas Wien HiN (Ulrike Rathmanner, Betriebsratsmitglied bei Caritas Wien HiN)*
Thomas Hauer – Vice Chair of the worker shop steward committee at Gebauer und Griller (stellvertretender Vorsitzender Arbeiterbetriebsrat bei Gebauer und Griller)*
Irene Mötzl — Shop steward Wohnservice Wien (Betriebsratsmitglied Wohnservice Wien)*
Michael Gehmacher — Shop steward ASB-Wohnen und Soziale Dienste (Betriebsratsmitglied ASB-Wohnen und Soziale Dienste)
Belgium
Wouter Gysen – member of the executive committee of ACOD-spoor Antwerp (railway workers union)
Karim Brikci-Nigassa – CGSP (socialist public employees union) at Brugman Hospital in Brussels
Stefanie Lagae — SETCa-SEL in Mons (francophone teachers union in public schools)
Jo Coulier — ACOD-onderwijs (socialist trade union of education workers)
Bart Van der Biest — BBTK-SETCa (socialist employees union) Hospital Saint Mary in Halle, member Federal Council of Nursing Practitioners (Ministry of Health) *
Tim Joosen – ACOD-onderwijs at Ghent University
Celia Ponce – CGSP Brussels (socialist union for teachers in public schools)
Lies Ulburghs – ACOD-onderwijs at Arteveldehogeschool & member of the regional executive of ACOD-onderwijs Eastern Flanders
Jan Vlegels — AC-ABVV (socialist trade union) at BASF & Eurochem Antwerp
Levi Sollie — trade union secretary for AC-ABVV (socialist trade union) in Antwerpen-Waasland
Tina Degreef – organiser ACV Pulse — christian trade union federation
Peter Delsing — ABVV (socialist trade union) in ICT sector
Ruben Verstraete — ACOD-AMIO Federal Public Service Economy Belgium *
Sanne Coremans — BBTK in social work Antwerp (socialist employees union)
Bart Vandersteene — spokesperson for the LSP/PSL — Left Socialist Party/Socialist Struggle Party
Simon Hupkens — chairperson of CGSP CPAS Liège (socialist union for public sector social workers city Liège)
Luc Wendelen — ACOD-TBM De Lijn Antwerp (socialist union for bus drivers)
Mirre Vercoutere — ACOD-Spoor and member of the executive committee of ACOD-spoor Antwerp (railway workers union)
Ann Vancutsem – trade union representative ACOD-overheidsdiensten (socialist union for public sector workers)
Pablo Nyns — CGSP Brussels firefighters
Benjamin Dussausois – ACOD-AMIO Federal Public Service Economy Belgium *
Frederik Degroeve – AC-ABVV at Eastman Ghent & member of the regional executive for AC-ABVV in Eastern Flanders
Brazil
Abdon Souza – Director of the Union of Water, Sewage, and Environmental Workers of the State of São Paulo (SINTAEMA) *
Salvador Silva – Director of the Union of Water, Sewage and Environment Workers of the State of São Paulo (SINTAEMA) *
Roberto Batista de Souza — Director of the Union of Water, Sewage, and Environmental Workers of the State of São Paulo (SINTAEMA). *
Fábio Arruda – Director of the Union of Public Servants and Workers in Health, Welfare and Social Assistance in the State of São Paulo (SINSPREV-SP) *
Joeferson Almeida — Member of the São Paulo State Executive Secretariat of CSP-Conlutas (Central Sindical e Popular) *
Eduardo Loeck — Member elected by workers of the CIPA (Internal Commission for the prevention of accidents) in the São Paulo Subway *
Eli Moraes – Member elected by workers of the CIPA (Internal Commission for the prevention of accidents) in the São Paulo Subway *
Márcio Silva – member of the National Coordination of the Popular Movement ‘Terra Livre’. *
Fernando Lacerda Jr. – Former national director and activist in the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (ANDES-SN) *
Ana Maria Estevão — Former national director and activist in the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (ANDES-SN) *
André Villares — former director and activist of the State Union of Education Professionals of Rio de Janeiro (SEPE-RJ) *
Dan D’Onofre – Former national director and activist in the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (ANDES-SN). *
Felipe Tavares — former director and activist in the State Union of Higher Education Workers in Rio Grande do Norte *
Livia Gomes dos Santos — member of the union opposition movement at the Federal University of Goiás workers union. *
Shilton Roque – Former National Director and activist in the National Union of Federal Servers of Basic, Professional, and Technological Education (SINASEFE) *
Tatiana Kapor – Former director and activist in the Union of Teachers of Official Education of the State of São Paulo (APEOESP). *
Flávia Grecco Resende – “Luta Educadora” union collective *
Silvana Zuculin — “Luta Educadora” union collective *
Jane Barros — member of the PSOL National Board *
England
Paul Hunt — Coventry City UNISON assistant branch secretary, shop steward and Coventry TUC Executive Committee *
Kevin Corran — Membership officer, Unison Greater Manchester Mental health *
Gary Cummins — Unite the union: Lewisham Council LE/1183: Branch Secretary, Regional Council, Local Govt NISC *
Steve North – Salford City UNISON and member of UNISON National Executive Council *
Dave Auger — Deputy branch sec city of wolverhampton UNISON UNISON West Midlands international officer *
Hugh Caffrey — Greater Manchester keep our NHS public, secretary *
Tom Barker — Unison steward. Secretary Save Our NHS Leicestershire *
Tom Meadowcroft — Unison Concorde Health Branch *
Liat Norris — PCS MoJ Staffordshire Branch Secretary *
Jordan Osserman — UCU Birkbeck, Communications Officer #CoronaContract, lead organiser — Somerford Grove Renters (part of the London Renters Union), lead organiser
Aimee Le — University of Exeter UCU, Anti-casualisation officer
Paul Gerrard — committee member, Bury NEU
Louise Lewis — Vice President, Kirklees NEU *
Sam Morecroft — USIC UCU Anticasualisation Officer
Carole Clohesy — NEU East Midlands, Learning Rep *
James Kerr — Lewisham NEU President *
Clive Dunkley — Unite the Union — NEU Staff Branch, LE/7076L
Paul Callanan — Unite Greenwich branch *
Dan Hoggan – Greenwich Local Government Branch 2050 Branch Secretary
Max Toynbee — National Education Union (Lambeth) workplace co-rep *
Ivan Bonsell – University of Brighton UNISON and member of UNISON Higher Education Service Group Executive *
Chas Berry — NAPO National Executive Committee member *
Tim Halpin — Unison shop steward West Sussex branch *
Dan Knight — Unite the Union Herefordshire and Worcestershire Branch, Communications Officer *
Germany
Guido Schönian — Executive Committee of GEW, Union for teachers, science and education
Thies Wilkening – County Committee DIE LINKE. Stormarn, Chairman of DIE LINKE. Reinbek/Oststeinbek/Glinde
Marc Treude — Head of Works Council Next.e.GO Mobile SE, Aachen
Ingo Rehmke – Education und Science Union GEW, Member of the national collective bargaining commission
Chris Hennes — member of the County Committee DIE LINKE Rhein-Sieg and member of the Committee of DIE LINKE local association Siegburg
Lucy Redler — spokesperson of the AKL (Anticapitalist Left) within DIE LINKE
Thies Gleiss — Member of the National Committee of DIE LINKE
Olaf Zimmer — Member of the Parliament of the State of Bremen
Ariane Müller — Shop Steward in the Hospital Bremen Mitte
Kevin Forster — Chair of DIE LINKE Rosenheim
Alexander Kalteis — City Councillor in Bünde for DIE LINKE
Tobias Dominik — Member of the Local Committee of DIE LINKE in Herford
Ireland
Mick Barry TD — Member of parliament, Solidarity — The Left Alternative
Ruth Coppinger — Former member of parliament, founding member of socialist-feminist movement ROSA
Leah Whelan and Kieran Mahon — South Dublin County councillors, Solidarity — The Left Alternative
John Burtchaell — Fingal County councillor, Solidarity — The Left Alternative
Fiona Ryan – Cork City councillor, Solidarity — The Left Alternative
Susan Fitzgerald – NI Regional Coordinating Officer, Unite the Union *
Neil Moore — NI Hospitality Organiser, Unite the Union *
Chris Stewart — Irish Youth Committee chair and Irish Executive Committee member, Unite the Union *
Amy Ferguson – NI Hospitality Branch secretary, Unite the Union *
Mike McCourt — NI Hospitality Branch committee member, Unite the Union *
Tom Fitzgerald — Irish Regional Officer, Unite the Union *
William Brooks — Branch 115 secretary and Civil Service Group Executive member, Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance *
Gerry Malone — General Council and Civil Service Group Executive member, Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance *
Michael O’Brien — Irish Fisheries Campaign Lead, International Transport Workers’ Federation *
Sandra Fay – Central Executive Committee member, Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland*
Kate Relihan — Blanchardstown branch vice-chair and District 14 committee member, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation*
James Tuohy — District 13 committee member, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation *
Robert Cosgrave — UPS Finglas branch committee member, Communication Workers’ Union*
Seán Malone — DSP Clerical National Committee vice-chair, Fórsa *
Israel-Palestine
Ariel Gottlieb — Shop steward at Ynet News website, Executive Committee member of the Union of Journalists in Israel (UJI) *
Tuvaal Klein — Shop steward, Junior Academic Staff Association at Tel Aviv University *
South-Africa
Zwelinzima Vavi — South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) General Secretary *
Ferron Pedro — South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) working class campaigns coordinator and educator *
Trevor Shaku — South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) national spokesperson *
Mametlwe Sebei — General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) President *
Sipho Linda — General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) organiser *
Matron Mhlanga — General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) organiser *
Tino Gwenyaya — General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) Legal Officer *
Austin Mofyoa — National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) Gauteng Provincial Organizer *
Newton Masuku — Transport, Retail and General Workers Union (THORN) organiser *
Mphage Lawrence Mashabela — Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (DEMAWUSA) organiser *
Sweden
Liv Shange Moyo, city councillor for Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna, Luleå
Jonas Brännberg, city councillor for Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna, Luleå
Petri Myllykoski, Senior Safety Representative for bus drivers in trade union Kommunal, Södertörn Nobina, Stockholm. Full member of the committee of Kommunal sektion 14.
Arne Johansson, chairperson. Norra Järva Stadsdelsråd, social movement organization in Järva, Stockholm.
Dr Håkan Blomqvist, historian and author, specialised on labor.
Louise Strömbäck, Safety representative Seko trade union branch 111. Stockholm Metro.
Carmen Blanco Valer, social movement educator and global justice activist
Johannes Lundberg, chairperson Tenant Union district Angered, Gothenburg
Pamela Möller-Ajani, chairperson Tenant Union district North Gothenburg
Anisa Sameer, union workplace representative, Unionen, Angered,Gothenburg
Reza Haghgoo, union workplace representative, Kommunal Gothenburg
Raymond Stokki, safety representative, Teachers Union, Boden
Jonas Karlsson, deputy member of parliament and NC member for Left Party, Sweden
Adolfo Ovalle, activist Chile despertó — Suecia
Arne Müller, author and commentator, specialised on the environment
Elin Gauffin, chairperson of Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (Socialist Justice Party) and spokesperson of Campaign Not to market rents.
Katja Raetz, elected workplace representative, Vårdförbundet (the Swedish Association of Health Professionals). Reg. nurse, Stockholm region
Teysir Subhi, party leader, Feminist Initiative, city conúncillor Gothenburg
Russia
Igor Yasin National – Chair of Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers
Vlad Baranov — Russian socialist and political prisoner by the 212 Moscow case
Aleksandra Shugai — Climate activist, known as the “Siberian Greta Thunberg”
Anna Pavlova — Treasurer of Sotsialisticheskaya Feministskaya Alternativa
Anastasia Puzakova – Member of Executive Committee of Sotsialisticheskaya Feministskaya Alternativa
Dmitry Porotikov — Executive Committee of Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers
If you would like to express solidarity with this crucial campaign please get in touch.
