Organized labor splitting apart worse in 70 years

[SamOdom]

Four Unions to Boycott AFL-CIO Convention, Labor Officials Say

July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Four unions representing about 30 percent of the AFL-CIO's U.S. membership will boycott the labor federation's annual convention, a first step toward one of the biggest splits in the organized labor movement in 70 years, union officials familiar with the matter said.

The Service Employees International Union, the AFL-CIO's fastest growing union with 1.3 million members, along with the Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers, and Unite Here will announce later today that they won't attend this week's AFL- CIO meeting in Chicago, the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.

SEIU President Andrew Stern, 54, and the three other dissident labor chiefs aren't expected to announce they are pulling out of the AFL-CIO, though that may come as early as tomorrow, the officials said.

The unions are divided over how to revive the power of organized labor at a time when private-sector union membership has dipped below 8 percent, the lowest level since the 1920s. The AFL-CIO, an umbrella organization for 56 unions representing about 13 million people, has been on the losing end of battles with corporations determined to pass along health care costs to employees.

``It would be awful,'' historian Studs Terkel said in an interview Friday. ``The last thing labor needs is a split.''

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney declined to comment today when asked about threats from the unions to leave the AFL-CIO.

Sweeney, 71, is running unopposed for re-election and a vote is scheduled for Thursday. He was first elected president in 1995 after blasting former head Lane Kirkland for failing to reverse a decline in union membership.

``I admire Sweeney very much, but I don't believe he's the person to lead the movement at this moment in our history,'' said Unite Here President Bruce Raynor, who helped organize workers at a J.P. Stevens & Co.'s textile plant in North Carolina 30 years ago -- an effort chronicled in the 1979 movie ``Norma Rae.''

Raynor and other dissidents say they didn't put anyone up to challenge Sweeney partly because the majority of AFL-CIO members still back him, including the United Auto Workers, Steelworkers and Machinists unions.

 

[CAPNCRUNCH]

Thank you Ronald Reagan! Was the beginning of the end for unions!:sad3: Most average blue-collar workers make less now than they did in 1985!

 

[eek.]

Thatcher was the same, she obliterated stuff like Nationalised industries with decent pensions and wages which contribute massively to wealth distribution in society, especially in retirement.

Now it all gets pissed away on dividends to those who can afford to buy shares.

The present day old fogies are enjoying decent pensions from that era but things are not looking too good for many people now in their 40's.

One brilliant recent suggestion was that we should all work until we're 70....

 

[SamOdom]

Jul 24, 7:14 PM (ET)

By RON FOURNIER

CHICAGO (AP) - The AFL-CIO succumbed to division Sunday, with its largest union deciding to bolt the 50-year-old federation and three others poised to do so in a dispute over how to reverse organized labor's long slide.

The four unions, representing nearly one-third of the AFL-CIO's 13 million members, announced Sunday they would boycott the federation's convention that begins Monday. They are part of the Coalition to Win, a group of seven unions vowing to reform the labor movement - outside the AFL-CIO if necessary.

The Service Employees International Union, with 1.8 million members, plans to announce Monday that it is leaving the AFL-CIO, said several labor officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the developments.

The Teamsters union also was on the verge of disaffiliating, and would likely to be the first to follow SEIU's lead, the officials said. Two other boycotting unions were likely to leave the federation: United Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE HERE, a group of textile and hotel workers.

 

[SamOdom]

The Service Employees International Union, with 1.8 million members, plans to announce Monday that it is leaving the AFL-CIO

WOW

The Teamsters union also was on the verge of disaffiliating

Double WOW

 

[SamOdom]

Boycott reveals labor's schism
<!--subtitle-->Major groups to leave AFL-CIO over strategy
<!--top author info--><TABLE width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleByline><!-- overline-->By Ron Fournier
The Associated Press </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=articleBody width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR><TD class=articleBody align=left colSpan=3>WASHINGTON - Jolting organized labor, the Teamsters and a massive service employees' union decided Sunday to bolt the AFL-CIO, paving way for two other labor groups to sever ties in the movement's biggest schism since the 1930s.

The four dissident unions, representing nearly one-third of the AFL-CIO's 13 million members, announced they were boycotting the federation's convention that begins today, a step that was widely considered to be a precursor to leaving the federation.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[SamOdom]

This break up will not be good for the dem party.

 

[CAPNCRUNCH]

This break up will not be good for the dem party.

The Democratic Party is dead in the water! Everyone should be like the Sneetches and join the Republican Party!arty:

 

[JinnRikki]

This break up will not be good for the dem party.

I don't know why you say that. In an interview I just watched Hoffa said the union will support who ever is helping the working man. This is still the ace in the hole of the Democratic party by and large. While the Dems defense of the working man has slipped in recent times I suspect this will light a fire under them. It may very well be a blessing.

 

[SamOdom]

I don't know why you say that.

One reason, albeit a minor one, there's disunity in the AFL/CIO is over wanting political independency. Many rank and file members do not want "Unions" to be an arm of the dem party.

 

[SamOdom]

AFL-CIO Splinters, Spooking Some Democrats

[edit]

Democratic politicians catch most of the AFL-CIO donations, one reason why party leaders worry about a weakened federation. The AFL-CIO also spends millions of dollars on programs that help get Democratic voters to turn out on Election Day.

Some Democrats said Monday they hoped the warring factions would come back together. Others suggested the competition would jolt organized labor out of its decades-old slumber.

"We're in uncharted waters," said Democratic consultant David Axelrod of Chicago. "Obviously, you have to believe a unified and coordinated effort is better than a disparate one and, obviously, the labor movement is a vital part of the Democratic coalition."

Some Democrats cast the breakup in apocalyptic terms. "It's the worst thing that could happen to us as a party," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic strategist with long ties to labor.

Others welcomed the challenge to the status quo. "The approach represented by progressive reform organizations like the SEIU represents the future _ they grow in size, they have fresh ideas, they understand message in the media age, they connect with the middle class," said Democratic strategist Chris Lehane. "These groups are on the right side of history."

As for the effect on union members, Rebecca Knorr, a member of the Communication Workers of America who works as a directory assistance operator for Qwest, said of the split: "We agree on the same principles, but our leadership refuses to work together. ... The rank and file are the ones that are going to be hurt by this."

While this is the biggest rift in organized labor since 1938, when the CIO split from the AFL, supporters of the breakup note that labor made big gains when the two groups competed.

One of every three private-sector workers belonged to a labor group when the AFL-CIO merged in the 1950s. Now, less than 8 percent of private-sector workers are unionized.

Globalization, automation and the transition from an industrial-based economy have forced hundreds of thousands of unionized workers out of jobs, weakening labor's role.

A number of Democratic lawmakers made their traditional pilgrimage to the AFL-CIO convention, urging unity while being careful not to take sides in the fight.

"What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., pointing to efforts to fight the Bush administration on behalf of union workers.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said business interests may think the divide will make organized labor vulnerable.

"We have news for them. It's not going to happen," he said to cheers. "Our unity is our strength. We will stand together and fight for working families."

After his speech, Durbin said it was too early to tell what impact the rift would have on the Democratic Party. "I hope the separation in our union family is resolved very soon," he said.

What are the chances of that happening? "I don't know," he replied.

A few blocks away, Stern and Hoffa dismissed suggestions that they would ever rejoin the AFL-CIO, though they said they wanted to work with the federation to bolster union membership.

"We've extended our hand and they have to decide whether they want to be successful or vindictive," Stern said.

Sweeney didn't hide his feelings. "This is a tragedy for working people," he said.

 

[SunDodger]

The unions are divided over how to revive the power of organized labor at a time when private-sector union membership has dipped
below 8 percent, the lowest level since the 1920s.

Very sad to read this as I was a Teamster for six years. High paying manufacturing jobs are being moved out of the country to reduce labor costs and increase corporate profits. The new jobs being created pay slightly more than minimum wage.

NAFTA has been a disaster for the American worker.

 

[Coast2Coast]

Sweeney has to be in the team photo of "Clueless Leaders" of our era.....saying this is a tragedy for working people. Let's see now...under his presidency, his union has decreased significantly in size, his national bargaining team and leaders of the affiliate unions have been inept at negotiating new agreements in a number of industries, organizing is a shell of what it used to be and far more of the working person's money is now going to support the leadership's favorite politicians without the dues paying member having much of a say. Seems to me Sweeney himself has been the tragedy for working people.

 

[SamOdom]

I don't know why you say that.

Jinn do you know now why I said it? Do you now agree?

Some Democrats cast the breakup in apocalyptic terms. "It's the worst thing that could happen to us as a party," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic strategist with long ties to labor.

 

[SamOdom]

CBS News

Many union presidents, labor experts and Democratic Party leaders fear the split will weaken the movement politically and hurt unionized workers who need a united and powerful ally against business interests and global competition.

"I think we're on somewhat uncharted and dangerous ground right now with a labor movement that's so weak," Rutgers University professor Charles Hekscher tells CBS News Correspondent Anthony Mason.

Political analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia tells Mason the breakup of the AFL-CIO can only weaken labor's voice in politics. That has Democrats anxious.

"Well, the Democrats ought to be anxious, because the labor unions are still the major bulk of their ground troops in both congressional and presidential elections," Sabato says. "Labor still provides most of the manpower, as well as a big chunk of the money for Democratic candidates.

“To the extent that labor is fighting among itself, then Democrats aren't going to get the full benefit of that manpower and money."

 

[JinnRikki]

So Sam, you think the republicans are going to change their pro business platform to cater to a bunch of blue collar workers? They didn't when unions were powerful, why would they now? Unions only option...democrats.

 

[SamOdom]

So Sam, you think the republicans are going to change their pro business platform to cater to a bunch of blue collar workers?

Jinn, "Union" is not what it used to be. In the past the vision of a rough looking male with a High School ed., cigarette and beer was the Union, today that looks more like a guy from a Red State:toothless

 

[Phaedrus]

Best news to come out in years. Labour unions were one of the most destructive forces of the 20th century; there's no place for them in the 21st.


Phaedrus

 

[eek.]

I reckon that consumer boycotts are the way forward into the next century anyway for ordinary folks that want to fight back.

The products from modern corporations are virtually identical nowadays anyway so boycotting the crappest employer wouldn't be difficult.
Once shareholders see their investment/marketshare bomb they'll soon get the message.

That and the Social Security Fund buying into the stock market.

New approaches for a new era.

 

[bblight]

Organized Labor - An oxymoron if I ever saw one!

Maybe it should be Organized to Avoid Labor; or maybe Criminal Labor Organization; or what about Organized to do anything but Labor!

I've never seen a union I didn't dislike; and the way unions are going nowadays, most Americans agree - Unions Suck!

These "Organized Labor" people can't even get a union into Walmart! That tells you how hard they work - Walmart!!!!

Hell, Organized Labor is nothing but a bunch of layabout hacks getting a free ride on the backs of the hourly wage earner.

In my experience, present day unions are a drag on the country and on the hourly earner.