On Thursday July 28th, a dozen members of Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) left the picket line we had organized in Downtown Vancouver against the Canadian war drive in Afghanistan and Haiti to support the Telecommunication Workers Union (TWU) at a mass rally across town.

The TWU has faced massive attacks from Telus, including the ripping up of their collective agreement and the threat of wage roll backs and contracting out of union positions, all culminating in a lock out of union workers by Telus. TWU workers have fought back for their jobs and dignity and MAWO is proud to stand by them and support them in their struggle.

As we saw with the Hospital Employees Union strike in BC last year and the entire agenda of the BC Liberal government, war drives and occupations abroad are always accompanied with attacks on workers rights and wages in the “war at home”.

In front of the Telus skyrise on the border of Vancouver, MAWO members gathered with a thousand TWU workers and supporters with our banner, “From HEU to Falluja, Stop attacks at home and abroad”. The international nature of the TWU-lockout was as clear in the demands of the rally as in the feeling of uncompromising struggle from every person at the rally. Their very looks were assurance enough that they will not give up.



A thousand TWU members chanted together that they only have to hold out ONE DAY LONGER than Telus in order to win the strike. This slogan, “ONE DAY LONGER” is as true for the TWU against Telus as it is for Iraqis, Palestinians, Afghans, Haitians against the US, UK, Canada, Israel occupations.

In this worldwide struggle of workers and oppressed people against war, occupation and injustice, MAWO is proud to support the TWU.

STOP TELUS! SUPPORT THE TWU!