From the DataCenter's Environmental Justice Program, Winter 2002.

Southwest Workers Union Organizes for Toxic Cleanup

The Southwest Workers Union in San Antonio works to build membership-based organizations, coalitions and networks to gain power to achieve environmentally safe and sustainable communities, jobs and fair wages. For the past nine years, they have been fighting for cleanup of the contamination caused by Kelly Air Force Base to the neighboring communities of color. With the closing of Kelly as a military base, the City of San Antonio established the Greater Kelly Development Authority to oversee the conversion of the former Air Force Base to an industrial business park. GKDA is offering millions of dollars in incentives to lure corporate tenants to the park, among them Boeing and Lockheed Martin. No government funds are allocated towards the cleanup of neighboring communities.

As a part of the Environmental Justice Conference on Military Toxics, the DataCenter's Environmental Justice program provided a corporate research training for SWU staff, community volunteers, and other invited activists. SWU will use the information we provided to contrast the plight of communities of color against corporate subsidies and pressure the GKDA for affected community representation on its Board of Directors.

For further information or to get involved, contact Southwest Workers Union.