Vol. 80/No. 26 July 18, 2016
SWP wins victory, is on ballot in Washington
Even though 1,715 people had signed petitions — mostly at their doorsteps — for the right of the SWP to be on the ballot, at first the secretary of state’s office had said that not enough of these were valid to meet the 1,000-signature requirement. “In effect, they were striking some 800 people who had signed to support our right to be on the ballot,” Martin said.
“We contacted unionists like Longshore workers in Longview and Machinists in Spokane as well as those who had been part of the fight for $15 and a union to write protest letters,” Martin added. People the party had stood side by side with on picket lines in fights to defend the union, like workers on strike against Triumph Composites and teachers who held a walkout at Green River college in Auburn, as well as those met more recently while campaigning door to door across the state.
Several days later the secretary of state’s office said they had rechecked the signatures and that the party had more than a sufficient number of valid signatures.
State elections office spokesperson Sheryl Moss told Spokane’s daily Spokesman-Review that the signatures were checked at first against an old database but claimed they had never said the party would not be on the ballot. It was just a “heads up.” After the database was updated they found the party met all the requirements.
“Coming from my recent experiences on the Machinists union strike at Triumph Composites, I believe labor should always stand up on the question of the haves and have nots. Unless you have a voice, you will take a back seat. If you use your voice the outcome will be positive,” wrote Bob Porter, a member of IAM Local 86 in Spokane, in a message read at the press conference. “Congratulations to the Socialist Workers Party! I’m proud of the extra mile you guys go for workers not only here but all over the world.”
The most important question facing working people, Hart said, is that in the fight for solidarity with others and struggles against all forms of oppression and exploitation we will change ourselves and open the road to overturn the rule of capital we live under.
At the news conference, Joe O’Sullivan of the Seattle Times asked, “Do you see [Bernie] Sanders’ support being channeled in your direction?”
“The Democrats and Republicans both support capitalism,” Hart replied. “The Socialist Workers Party is for ending not reforming this system of oppression. Sanders is channeling people into the Democratic Party and does not advance any perspective for workers taking power.”
Related articles:
‘We are worth so much more than a paycheck’
100s get books, meet Socialist Workers Party
SWP candidate: ‘Workers can organize all of society’
Minnesota SWP: ‘Headquarters break-in won’t stop our efforts’
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