Readers of the Clarion may not know of the existence of the International Committee. Formed in 2000 as an anti-war committee, for years it has sought to inform our members about issues facing workers around the world. The committee consists of PSC members with expertise in various areas of the world, from Latin America to China to the Middle East and Africa. But why would a union representing the faculty and staff of CUNY need an international committee?
Now more than ever the union needs to see its work in the context of a complex international situation which affects us as academic workers, New Yorkers and as people living in the United States. The current US-backed genocide in Gaza, expanding quickly into a broader war on West Asia, the war in Ukraine, ecological devastation caused in large part by Global North industrialization and unjust economic policies impacting communities across the Americas, Asia and Africa, are global developments that impact global South workers. They also have a direct impact upon our CUNY community, as many of our students, faculty and staff come from the most impacted regions. Additionally, solidarity is at the heart of trade unionism, so an attack on Global South workers is an attack on all workers. We have a duty to educate ourselves and advocate in solidarity with Global South workers.
RESOLUTIONS
The IC has successfully introduced resolutions – often with other union committees – to the Delegate Assembly, from demanding an end to the war in Iraq (2005) to defending trade unions in Haiti (2010), from standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people (2021) and demanding an end to the deadly blockade on Cuba (2022), to holding a major retirement fund, TIAA-CREF, responsible for its role in destroying the Brazilian rainforest (2016).
We have also drafted letters of solidarity sent by our union leadership to our union siblings facing repression in places like Colombia, the Philippines and Turkey.
We are obligated to consider and critique the foreign policy of the national union that we belong to and financially support, the American Federation of Teachers, which has too often supported U.S. interventions and militarism. We see it as our obligation, and our privilege, to educate ourselves and raise awareness among our fellow union members of pressing global issues. Through monthly meetings and occasional forums we bring to bear our respective experience and knowledge on the international issues confronting us as a union. We hope you will consider joining us.
Immanuel Ness is a professor of political science at Brooklyn College, Corinna Mullin is an adjunct assistant professor of political science at John Jay College, Jeannette Graulau is an associate professor of political science at Lehman College and Zhun Xu is an associate professor of economics at John Jay College. They are the steering committee members of the PSC International Committee.
