Dear Brothers and Sisters in all trades and in all unions.

It has been in the news in recent months that the working class residents of Flint, MI have had water piped to their homes absolutely contaminated with heavy metals like lead, largely due to mismanagement by appointed emergency managers working for governor Rick Snyder.

This has gone on for far too damn long!

Whereas Flint, MI has historical significance with the United Auto Workers, it is important to hold accountable the special duty of solidarity that the UAW shares. The UAW’s shameful, complete failure to respond to this crisis deserves every ounce of public exposure by every autoworker rank and file group. The recent concessions the autoworkers have taken in their contracts with the big four are only one piece of the austerity policy that the capitalist class is enthusiastically promoting. It should become painfully obvious that this austerity is not going to end when we clock out of our workplaces.

Whereas this is an issue that affects a large swath of working class people across unions and trades, The Control Line would implore all workers in all trades and in all unions to demand of their union leaders to issue statements of solidarity with the people of Flint, MI. The Control Line would implore that statements be introduced (presumably under “new business”) supporting the organization of and use of militant direct action in Flint, MI and any nearby affected communities by both trade union and non-union workers.

The Control Line would implore all workers to demand as publicly as possible for their international union leaders to organize direct action and to pass statements calling for militant direct actions in Michigan so that these working class people in Flint and adjacent areas can have access to safe, uncontaminated water.

Regardless of legality, if workers must strike in solidarity to get these residents clean water they should do so.

Whereas many salaried trade union representatives and officers are expected to pour cold water on such statements and attempt to absolve themselves, or suggest that it is in the government’s hands alone–The Control Line calls on all workers to expose their words and actions for the pages of history.

Whereas celebrities such as Michael Moore have called for the Governor’s arrest, The Control Line implores workers to demand nothing less, but to also demand the arrest of the emergency managers.

If they can do this in Flint, they can do it anywhere.

An injury to one is an injury to all!