Posted on 11/10/2004 7:12:43 PM PST by leadpencil1
WASHINGTON (AP) - With organized labor in disarray, two unions renewed threats Wednesday to break from the AFL-CIO in a deepening feud over how to stem the erosion of membership and revive labor's economic and political strength.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney tried to quell the simmering rancor by directing a committee of about two dozen union leaders to recommend changes and set a February vote by the federation's executive council.
Calling the effort an "open discussion, a thorough discussion," he said leaders would "be looking at how we can do an even better job with politics and organizing more members." Sweeney is seeking re-election in July.
The move came after labor leaders met to review their turnout effort in Democrat John Kerry's failed election bid. Unions represent just 12.9 percent of the work force. Union members accounted for 14 percent of the electorate in last week's election.
Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, repeated his threat to pull out of the AFL-CIO if leaders ignore the measures he proposed to shake up labor.
"We'd walk away and keep fighting" for workers without being "confined" by the federation to organize and strengthen unions, said Stern, who heads the largest of 60 unions under the AFL-CIO's umbrella.
Frustrated with what he says have been numerous committees and studies under Sweeney's direction, Stern has proposed 10 changes to the federation, including dramatically increasing the AFL-CIO's power over its member unions. Stern said the AFL-CIO should be able to require coordinated bargaining, revoke union charters, prevent and grant mergers and transfer union responsibilities.
Stern is an outspoken union president who has angered other union leaders with his aggressive, public push for reform. As the leader of a faction clamoring for changes, he will play a big role in deciding who challenges Sweeney. Stern has said he will not seek the office. Sweeney won office on a platform of reform, and happens to be Stern's predecessor at SEIU.
Stern's aggressive effort ultimately may drive support to Sweeney.
Tom Buffenbarger, president of the International Association of Machinists, repeated his union's intent to leave the AFL-CIO if Stern's plans are adopted, to "defend ourselves."
Stern's plans call for a realignment of unions based on industry sectors. That angers industrial unions, which are increasingly pursuing workers in other industries to grow, such as health care. SEIU represents many health care workers.
Stern's ambitious plan was displayed in a color brochure sent to union presidents before Wednesday's meeting. Called "Unite to Win," Stern's union also created a Web site for union members to post comments and ideas.
Sweeney said the AFL-CIO already was doing some of what Stern suggested, including a national effort to take on Wal-Mart and to push for universal health care.
Stern shot back that those efforts should be greater than conducting research and creating task forces. He expressed frustration that the meeting did not include a discussion about how to strengthen labor, and instead spent the day blaming others.
"It was a broad, everybody-but-us-needs-to-change discussion," he said.
Now now boys. Be nice!
Cannibals at work.
Good News never ceases!
F the unions. They no longer serve any useful purpose. They only funnel cash to liberals
A-mericans F-ar L-eft - C-ommunist I-ncognito O-rginazation
Sounds like they're going to "go to the mattresses".
The Unions need to realize that their day is gone, nobody wants to join to have $50.00 a paycheck go to the Union Leaders, the so called leaders tell them how to vote, most have the presence of mind not to listen to them. The Union leaders are out of touch with their members, blue collar workers are more conservative than their so called leaders. But the leaders still don't get it. The members have more common sense, but the leaders think they should always back the demoncrats............wrong! I feel sorry for the members because I know that some stupid laws don't permit them to work, unless they are members, but if you vote Republican, we will continue to push for the right to work, without being shackled by the unions. I was a union member once, forced to be, I know that your dues don't go to strike funds, they go to demoncrat politicians and the leaders. You have been taken for fools, it is time to stop all unions, dump them if you can.
Unions are a scam just like social security .
Now all we have to do in prosecute the ACLU under RICO and put them out of business and my life will be made!!!!
"Stern has proposed 10 changes to the federation, including dramatically increasing the AFL-CIO's power over its member unions."
I thought you couldn't get much worse than Sweeney, but this guy Stern, sounds like he could be worse. Sounds like Stern is making a power play. Also sounds like he is proposing an even greater clampdown on the wishes of the rank and file. Here comes the new marxist, same as the old marxist. Free republic should run their own candidates for union leadership positions who might make a dent in the socialist agenda.
I am not surprised. The Democratic party can no longer deliver polticial favors. Organized labor has tied its political future to the Democrats. The Democratic party is dying and organized labor's members are asking what they are getting for all the money and labor they have spent in helping Democrats not get elected. It has been a blackhole of campaign contributions and labor hours that could have been spent in other areas.
Divide and conquer. Two groups of thugs at each others throats. I'll get the popcorn.
Dump the commies, the socialists, the looney leftists and the "International Brotherhood sh^t". We are not America International, we are the USA.
$35 million in 2000, another $30 or so million in 2002, $50 million this go around. That's a whole lotta cash for NOTHING!
I bet that don't go over so good again. I've got this funny feeling that in 2006 Sweeney and his Sweethearts are gonna have to really crack the whip on the membership to get just ten per cent of the effort they had 'em convinced to put out this past year.
Marxist thugs. As a student of political psychology, I have no respect for a man to prefers collectivism over individual liberty.
That probably doesn't count the hours by union members who were "volunteered" (if they knew what was best for them) to man phone banks for democratic candidates, to put up and distribute yard signs, and to go door-belling for democratic candidates.
I am a past national officer of a major engineering society, we are having an increasing time getting engineers to volunteer to do things that directly benefit them and their profession. We have done studies. What we have found out is that people work much more than a 40 hour week, they spend more time commuting, their spouse works and the limited time they have is spent on a variety of chores that the spouse use to do, that they need to use for running around and that is for family. Union members are in the same boat, they have less free time and to have it "taken" by the union for politics associated with lost causes is likely to not go over well.
Unions must die.
No, Robert357, that was just the cash they fittered away to not elect any demonicrats
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