Fellow Workers,

As those of you who attended last Saturday's caucus meeting in Montreal will probably recall Kim mentioned that I had sent her a brief descriptive text of the purpose of the CAW Left Caucus. I would like to suggest we build on it to a create a short statement explaining we have formed a Left Caucus in the CAW. Such an exercise would give our efforts some badly needed focus and political clarity. The text read:

CAW Left Caucus: Members of the CAW who want to fight for real democracy in the CAW and class struggle, left-wing policies relevant to the future and not the past are encouraged to get involved in the CAW Left Caucus.

I also believe those of us who are on-line should start a discussion of what issues we will take on at the next CAW Council meeting. We already know that the Ontario election will be the subject of what could be a worthwhile debate. It follows that we can play a very big role in it if we choose to make a concerted intervention at the microphones. This would be especially worthwhile now that Buzz and Bob White are hopping mad about the Federal NDP Caucus' new move to find common ground with the small and "medium-sized" business community.

Unless there is a settlement soon I also believe we should make the strike by the women in UNITE! Local 1764 in Trenton an issue to champion at the microphones and with a resolution. This is a fight by and for women workers which has gone on for half a year now and not a word has been said about it at CAW Council or, as far as I can recall, in Contact. Such an omission is inexcusable and we can correct it. Remember, it was members of our caucus who made the national leadership and the leadership in Windsor to pay meaningful attention to the Detroit newspaper lockout and, to a lesser extent, the Liverpool dockworkers' fight. By doing such things we show that we are the ones who really walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

The World Is Our Picket Line