Arizona labor supports Endangered Species Act

TUCSON -- The Pima Area Labor Federation passed a strong and progressive endorsement of the federal Endangered Species Act on Jan 11.

PALF is the Tucson and Southern Arizona branch of the AFL-CIO, which represents over 20,000 union members and their families in Pima County.




The resolution is the first of its kind in the US, and passed without dissent, calling for congress to keep the Endangered Species Act strong. This statement from labor will be important to the US Senate as it considers corporate lobbyists' requests to gut the Act.

The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity worked with PALF to get the pro-ESA resolution passed. The Center helped support the ASARCO mine workers strike last year against Grupo Mexico. Labor-Environmentalist relations are strong and positive in Pima County.

The Endangered Species Act resolution is an important showing of solidarity from labor toward environmentalists, and it recognizes the broad common ground both groups share. Unethical corporate bosses abuse workers and natural resources. We have a common enemy.

Thanks, PALF, for the progressive leadership, especially Bobby Martinez, Keith Bagwell, and Jim Watson. Now lets watch the national leadership catch on.