Labor for Democracy, a network of labor unions committed to upholding democracy and the right to organize, is calling for federal and state investigations into recent reports of illegal and unconstitutional surveillance of unions and community groups in Minnesota. UE is a founding member of Labor for Democracy.

Federal agents secretly infiltrated union, faith and community meetings during Operation Metro Surge, recording discussions and attempting to incite violent actions. These unconstitutional actions were exposed in news reports [1] on August 13 — months after the surveillance took place.

“This surveillance campaign is part and parcel of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to demonize working people and distract from his many failures as president,” said retired UE General President Carl Rosen, who serves as the convener of Labor for Democracy.

“The federal government’s actions in Minnesota — and their surveillance of unions more generally — are an attack on everyone who believes in the right to free speech, the right to peaceful assembly and the right to organize,” he continued. “Labor for Democracy stands with Minnesota’s unions in their fight for transparency and justice from the federal government.”

Labor For Democracy and its member unions are demanding [2]:

• For state officials in Minnesota to conduct a state investigation;
• For Congress to conduct a full and transparent investigation of the unlawful actions of the federal government and their agents;
• Prosecution of DHS leadership and federal agents who violated the law and trampled on Constitutional rights; and
• Immediate Congressional hearings by both the House and Senate Committees on Homeland Security.

The federal government’s assault on basic democratic rights is part of the Trump Administration’s “National Security Memorandum Taskforce,” established to target progressive and anti-authoritarian/anti-fascist forces and accuse them of “domestic terrorism” in order to try to repress legitimate protest of the many unpopular policies of the administration.

The complete Labor for Democracy statement is available here. [2]