Letter to Jesse Owens, CEO of Caterpillar, Inc from Pensacola IWW
Industrial Workers of the World
Pensacola General Membership Branch
P.O. Box 12311
Pensacola, FL 32591-2311
March 16, 2005
James W. Owens, Chair and CEO
Caterpillar, Inc.
100 Northeast Adams St.
Peoria, IL 61629-1425
Dear Mr. Owens:
We call upon you to lead Caterpillar, Inc. to cease all sales of its equipment being used by Israel in the illegal practice of home demolitions, destruction of agricultural crops, and construction of an apartheid wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Caterpillar’s claim that you have “neither the legal right nor the ability to monitor and police individual use of that equipment” is disingenuous. Individuals of conscience, human rights organizations, religious bodies, labor groups, and international courts of justice are calling for Israel to cease its retributive practice of home demolitions. A group of your own shareholders have questioned Caterpillar’s complicity in these crimes. Yet the board rebuffed their concerns. The family of slain American peace activist Rachel Corrie, killed by a Caterpillar bulldozer two years ago today, has filed a lawsuit against Caterpillar for redress. Is Caterpillar accountable to no one?
As the new Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar, you have an opportunity to lead the company in a new direction in this critical matter. We strongly urge you to accept Caterpillar’s clear responsibility and to take whatever steps are necessary to stop the use of Caterpillar equipment as weapons of mass destruction of Palestinian lives and livelihood.
Sincerely,
Industrial Workers of the World
Pensacola (Florida) General Membership Branch
Copy to: Ron Gettelfinger, President, United Auto Workers
