America’s Union Leadership is gathering in Chicago for the AFL-CIO 2005 Convention. Scheduled activities begin Friday but official opening day is Monday July 25, 2005, featuring a procession of prominent Democrats to the podium. The marching order begins with Sen. Barack Obama followed in turn by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. John Edwards and Sen. Edward Kennedy.
There will be formal presentations, resolutions and proposed amendments for the assembled delegates, but the long term consequences of this meeting may be forming in events outside the public eye. Socialist Worker Online editorializes that this convention could possibly be the last.
Will the AFL-CIO Split in Chicago? “WITH RUMORS swirling about backroom deals, boycotts, walkouts and splits, the AFL-CIO convention will take place in Chicago July 25-28. On one side is the Change to Win coalition--headed by Service Employees International Union President Andrew Stern and Teamsters President James Hoffa … The opposing camp, headed by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.”The SEIU is the largest and fastest growing American Union and the primary organizer of health care workers and illegal aliens. Under Stern’s leadership the focus of his organization is as much about creating an army of activists as it is about benefits. Like many great Generals, he understands an army can be motivated by the vision of the spoils of victory. Like all ambitious conquerors, he will go the direction he believes will achieve his desire.
“Unable or unwilling to encourage the kind of militant rank-and-file activism that’s needed to revive labor, both factions are arguing over how best to downsize and rationalize the labor bureaucracy to ensure its survival--and are maneuvering over who will control what remains.”
Andrew Stern: “Since his election to lead SEIU in April 1996, nearly 900,000 workers have united with SEIU, and with 1.8 million members, it has become the largest and fastest-growing union in the AFL-CIO. SEIU represents more immigrant workers than any other union and has been a driving force behind the AFL-CIO’s decision to support legalization for hardworking, taxpaying immigrants.”Behind closed doors in hotel rooms, the 2008 Democratic Presidential ticket of John Edwards and Barack Obama will be fine tuning campaign slogans like: Fair Wages and Free Health Care for EVERYONE!
“In a dramatic departure from past practice in the labor movement, SEIU now spends half its annual budget to help more workers unite in the union and gain a voice on the job. By training thousands of member volunteers to help organize movement-oriented drives”.
