The National Conference on Soviet Jewry and the Jewish Labor Committee today announced that the top leadership of the United Auto Workers has signed a petition urging President Nixon to “exert…influence to help free Jewish prisoners of conscience and to help Soviet Jews achieve the fundamental right to live as Jews and to leave for Israel and elsewhere.” The petition was signed by Leonard Woodcock, president of the UAW, Emil Mazey, secretary-treasurer, five UAW vice-presidents and regional directors on the International Executive Board.
Woodcock stated, “The officers and members of the UAW support the drive to aid Soviet Jews in their struggle for basic human rights, including the right to emigrate freely. We hope that President Nixon will convey this message to Soviet leaders when he visits Moscow next month.”
Richard Maass, chairman of the NCSJ, expressed gratification that the “leadership of the UAW, representing 1,400,000 members, has endorsed the campaign for Soviet Jewry and added its name to hundreds of thousands of individuals who have signed the petition to President Nixon in the last month.” He added, “This support from labor emphasizes the wide scope of non-partisan appeal for the plight of Soviet Jews.”
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