BY BRIAN WILLIAMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - "I'm running for city council in Washington, D.C. as the Socialist Workers candidate, explaining that working people need our own independent working-class voice and movement capable of defending ourselves against the assault by the ruling rich on our living standards and democratic rights," stated Mary Martin in an address to a meeting of the D.C.-Maryland Machinists Council on October 26. "This assault is a bipartisan one, coming down from both parties of the capitalist system under which we live."

Martin, the SWP candidate for D.C. City Council at-large in the December 2 special election, is a member of International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local 1759 and works as a baggage handler at National airport. Some 30 IAM delegates from Maryland and D.C. were in attendance at the meeting.

As an introduction to Martin's presentation, one of the union officials read the entire text of the socialist campaign leaflet to the audience, a copy of which was also given to all the delegates in attendance.

"The socialist alternative urges working people and our unions to break from the parties of the ruling rich and chart a course of independent political action and international solidarity," states the flyer. "This course points to workers and our allies establishing a government that acts to advance our interests, not those of our exploiters - a workers and farmers government that will abolish capitalism in the United States and join in the worldwide struggle for socialism."

Martin received a warm reception from the unionists as she pointed to the inspiring examples of new labor resistance shown in the recent strike victories by the Teamsters at UPS, the Bay Area Rapid Transit Workers in San Francisco, and steelworkers in their 10-month-long strike against Wheeling-Pitt.

"My campaign promotes the idea of working-class political action independent of the capitalist parties and to stand with other unions and fighters to protest racist attacks, and to fight against anti-immigrant laws," stated Martin. "My campaign calls for 30 hours work for 40 hours pay to spread the available work around, for defending and extending affirmative action programs, for stopping police brutality, and for statehood for D.C. Governing officials should be building and repairing schools, not more prisons. I'm against the U.S. rulers' drive toward wars, which are not in our interest." She also pointed to the importance of defending the Cuban revolution.

In a discussion later in their meeting, the Machinists Council voted to endorse Martin's campaign and sent her a letter suggesting she contact other IAM locals in the D.C. area for speaking engagements.

Brian Williams is a member of United Steelworkers of America Local 2609.  
 
 
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