Milt Tambor

Milt Tambor

Milton "Milt" Tambor moved to Atlanta from Detroit in 2001 and died in 2022 age 84. He worked for Michigan American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 25 as a staff representative and education coordinator. As labor educator he conducted classes in collective bargaining, steward training, labor history, economics, strategic planning and health and safety. With a Ph.D. in Sociology, Milt also taught classes as an adjunct faculty at Wayne State University's School of Social Work.

Radical life

Milt Tambor, a life-long democratic socialist and trade unionist and the founder of Atlanta DSA, died August 23 in Dunwoody, Georgia at age 84. Born in 1938 to a Jewish family on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Milt was an active trade unionist and democratic socialist for over fifty years. He earned a Hebrew Teachers degree from Yeshiva University in 1957. Milt then went to Wayne State University in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where he completed his BA in Psychology. While working at the Jeffries Housing Project and Dodge Community House, where he fought against school and housing segregation in Detroit, Milt also earned a Master in Social Work degree at Wayne State.

After graduation, he stayed in Detroit to organize youth programming at the local Jewish Community Center. He then became Director of the UAW Retired Workers Center where he became involved in his staff union by volunteering on their local bargaining committee. In 1968 he became President of AFSCME Local 1640, a post he held for 10 years, during which he led a strike of 500 workers. During his years at Michigan AFSCME, Milt became a founding member of the Detroit New American Movement, and later joined DSA during the 1982 merger of NAM with the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee. He then returned to Wayne State University and earned a PhD in Sociology in 1991, with a dissertation on bargaining with non-profit agencies.

After over 35 years with Michigan AFSCME, first as a local president and later as a staff representative and labor educator, Milt retired and moved to Atlanta with his wife Linda Lieberman. In 2006, as part of an effort to organize a fundraiser for Bernie Sanders’ senatorial campaign, Milt brought together local DSA members and progressives to establish the Metro Atlanta DSA. Over the next decade, he served as chair of our chapter through a wide variety of different campaigns and fights for democracy and equality.

DSA Members Organizing Against Trump

DSA Members Organizing Against Trump was a letter released early October 2020 to shore up Democratic Socialists of America support for Joe Biden.

Signatories included Milt Tambor, Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America.

Democratic Socialists of America

Milt Tambor has served as Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America chairsince 2006.

In 2006 Milt Tambor, Georgia, donated $250 to the Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee. According to DSA's Democratic Left Spring 2006,

"DSA has formed a Political Action Committee—Democratic Socialists of America PAC (DSA PAC), which will raise funds to enable activity that supports or opposes candidates for federal office. By law, DSA is not permitted to expend its resources in support of or against candidates in partisan elections; however, DSA is permitted to form a PAC for this purpose...

...Only DSA members in good standing may contribute to the PAC. Because the law is so specific, all contributions are carefully screened to make sure that they are from members."

Open Letter to Obama on Iran

In 2008 Milt Tambor of Democratic Socialists of America signed an online petition “A Open Letter to Barack Obama on Iran”.

DSA Conference delegate

Five Metro Atlanta DSA members served as delegates to the Democratic Socialists of America biennial national convention, held in Evanston, Illinois in mid-November 2009: Jess Bowling, Barbara Joye, Barbara Landay, Milt Tambor and Jorge A. Lawton.

"Foreclosure Five"

The Foreclosure Five were arrested on August 31 for refusing to leave a Wells Fargo branch office in East Point until a bank official would meet and hear the demands of the Atlanta Fighting Foreclosure Coalition. Those arrested included: Reginald Eaves, Charlie Flemming, State Senator Vincent Fort, Dianne Mathiowetz and Milt Tambor. The case of criminal trespass was moved from East Point to Fulton County after the five defendants continued to enter a "not guilty" plea rather than plead guilty to a lesser charge. The monies raised will go toward the defense provided by "Peoples' Attorney" Brian Spears at the hearing and a possible trial

Atlanta Fighting Foreclosure Coalition

Formed in April 2009 following a community forum at the First Iconium Baptist Church, By late 2010 the Atlanta Fighting Foreclosure Coalition represented 41 member organizations: labor unions; civil rights, civil liberties, human rights and peace and justice groups; homeless shelters; and faith-based organizations.

In late 2010, the Coalition co-chairs were:

• Charlie Flemming (Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council)
• Vincent Fort (State Senator),
• Barbara Joye (Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America)
• Dianne Mathiowetz (International Action Center)
• Rev Tim McDonald (First Iconium Baptist Church)
• Larry Pellegrini (Georgia Rural Urban Summit)
• Eric Richardson (Communication Workers of America Local 3204)
• Milt Tambor (Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America).

Poor Peoples’ Day

Contacts for Poor Peoples’ Day 2010, were Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America steering committee members Carol Coney and Milt Tambor.

2011 DSA National Conference

Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America delegates attending the November 11-13, 2011 National Convention in the Washington DC area included Barbara Joye, Jorge A. Lawton, Minnie Ruffin, Milt Tambor and Bob Wohlheuter.

DSA support for mayoral bid

January 07, 2017 at 4pm - 6pm, Mammal Gallery, 91 Broad St. NW;

Join Joe Corrado, Tim Franzen, Larry Pellegrini, Jim Skillman, Milton Tambor, Rebecca Waldorff for a reception to learn more about Sen. Fort's historic bid for mayor and how together we can build an Atlanta that works for everyone.

Democratic Socialists of America Unity

Milt Tambor, supported the Democratic Socialists of America Unity grouping, established for the 2017 Democratic Socialists of America National Convention in Chicago.

DSA Immigrants Rights Committee

In September 2017 Milt Tambor, chair of Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America Immigrants Rights Committee.

Stand with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

We Stand with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a 2018 letter signed by several Democratic Socialists of America members mainly from the DSA North Star in response to attacks on Ocasio-Cortez over remarks she made on Palestine.

A recent petition circulated by some DSA members criticizes Ocasio-Cortez for supporting a two state solution to the Palestine-Israel question and not aligning with a long list of demands regarding Palestine and Israel. Should Ocasio-Cortez fail to agree with this list of demands, the petitioners are calling for DSA to revoke her endorsement. These attacks on Ocasio-Cortez have come despite the fact that she has staked out positions which will make her one of the strongest advocates of Palestinian rights and self-determination in Congress.

We stand with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The position she has taken on Israel and Palestine are principled stances, worthy of a democratic socialist, in its recognition of both Palestinian humanity and rights and Israeli humanity and rights. On this issue, as many, she will be a voice for the voiceless in Congress.

Signatures included Milt Tambor.

DSA North Star

In 2018 Milt Tambor was an original signatory of the DSA North Star founding principles statement.

Socialist Majority Caucus

DSA's Socialist Majority Caucus signatories list as of April 25 2019 included Milt Tambor of Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America.

References

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