Labor Party Press

Current Issue  Archives  Labor Party Home  Join the Labor Party!

January, 1999 Labor Party Press


Conversation with

David Walters

David Walters of the Labor Party’s Golden Gate Chapter is a member of the IBEW and a delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council. Since the founding convention, he has volunteered his time to create the Labor Party web page.

I think the convention was a great step forward, in quality if not quantity. I believe the amended electoral proposal is exactly what was needed, even if nothing comes of it until 2000. I think there is a slight paranoia by the Interim National Council that the electoral process of the Labor Party could get out of hand. I think they are wrong, but the criteria actually, is fair. Hell, if we can’t get "...significant union support" or "a base in the community," then what’s the point of posing an electoral challenge to the Democrats and Republicans? It wouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone. We have to be serious and the challenge now is for all sectors of the Labor Party to figure out if there are opportunities for such electoral action in their areas.

I think the convention was in some ways less democratic than the last one. At the founding convention, delegates could lobby the resolutions and constitutional committees. This time, no one knew until the day of the convention who was on those committees. There was less time for debate and, of course, there was the overwhelming vote of the internationals that could, as a bloc, make the convention go any way they wanted. Nevertheless, I’ve been to several different union conventions, and they were all less democratic than this convention. So despite its detractors, it was democratic.

I agreed with the way the votes went on the issue of fusion [or cross-endorsing candidates from another party]. I think the arguments against it were a political highpoint of the convention. I wish we could have continued the debate on government intervention in unions — I think it’s a very important issue.

<- Previous

Labor Party Convention Issue

Labor Party Press - Convention Coverage
Labor Party
Press
Convention Coverage

Previous - Next

CONVERSATIONS
WITH ...

Larry Adams
Pres., Mailhandlers Union Local 300

Ron Baker
Organizing Director, UMWA

Terry Bouricius
State Representative, Progressive Party, Vermont

Bob Brown
Labor Party Organizer, Mid-Atlantic Region

Ed Bruno
Labor Party Organizer, New England Region

Shirley Faircloth
A CNA convention delegate; retired nurse

Mike Hendry
Pres., OCAW Local 7-517

David Kitchen
Chief Plant Steward, UE Local 506

Richard Monje
Works with UNITE's Midwest Joint Board

Kim Moody
Director, Labor Notes

Rita Shaw
Member, LP Seattle Chapter and the Transport Communications Union

Brenda Stokely
Pres., AFSCME Local 215

Gaylon Tyler
Member, Kensington Welfare Rights Union

David Walters
Member, LP Golden Gate Chapter and the IBEW

Back to Labor Party Press Convention Issue Index

Top of PageJanuary '99 Labor Party Press


Join the Labor Party!

 Press  Archives  Home  Join  Endorsing Unions  Bodies  Links  Documents  Contact