[paulat]

"The unions breaking away from the AFL-CIO want to commit more money to recruiting new members and complain that the federation has committed too much money and placed too much emphasis on backing political candidates — particularly Democrats."

[FormerACLUmember]

The democrat party has been ANIHILATING the unions. Somebody actually is trying to reform the utterly corrupt AFL-CIO.

[newsgatherer]

tis about time.

[BushisTheMan]

I don't think they are FOR Republicans either...However, I do think the unions are finally getting smart. Support the ones who support your cause, dump the others. The BIG DOGS at the top of the Democrat Party are anti-American and anti-military and the union members (not the bosses) don't like it. I'll give the members credit for speaking up on this issue.

I still don't trust union management or Democrat party big wigs -- no matter what!

[pookie18]

http://www.sierratimes.com/rss/newswire.php?article=/news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050729/ap_on_bi_ge/labor_rift&time=1122674697&feed=us

[A CA Guy]

Two issues here.

#1 Some unions think they are getting no bang for the buck with all the Democrat party donations and figure it only get's their union leadership perks and rich.

#2 The unions what to be more aggressive in getting members in businesses, which to me means these break of cells are going to cause big problems and violence while trying to get into businesses and contracts on their terms.

I think the result of violence and stupidity will further reduce the unions that exist.

Next we need to end the union monopolies of the teacher's union and all the government union.
At the very least we need to limit government connected union benefits and wages to NO MORE than the average wage and benefits in the private sector.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Here's the latest take from the Laborer's - direct of the LIUNA website:

---

LIUNA Remains Committed to Union Movement Reform and
Doing What’s Best for Laborers as Teamsters, SEIU Leave AFL-CIO

LIUNA General President Terence M. O’Sullivan reaffirmed the Laborers’ current commitment to remain in the AFL-CIO and to attend the Federation’s convention now in progress in Chicago. At the same time, General President O’Sullivan said LIUNA is firmly committed to Change to Win and its principles of reforming the labor movement.

As the convention opened today, two affiliates--the Teamsters and Service Employees International Union--were scheduled to disaffiliate, taking 3 million union members out of the Federation. Two other unions with an additional 1.5 million members--the United Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE HERE--are boycotting the convention and may disaffiliate as well.

All four are partners with the Laborers in the Change to Win Coalition, which was founded June 15 in response to the declining power of unions and working families. It now includes seven unions with 6 million members--LIUNA, the Teamsters, SEIU, UNITE HERE, the UFCW, the Carpenters and the United Farm Workers.

“The upheaval in Chicago is the culmination of a year-long debate with the labor movement over how to rebuild unions so they are once again a significant force in the lives of America’s working families,” said General President O’Sullivan. “Despite months of discussion with the current AFL-CIO leadership, there has been no substantive change in their positions.”

While Laborers have consistently said the union will remain in the AFL-CIO and fight for reform from within, in light of current events LIUNA will engage in a full and serious discussion with leadership and members about its future place in the AFL-CIO. The union will take up the issue at length and in detail at its September Leadership Conference.

“We must and will do what is best for Laborers and all working people,” General President O’Sullivan said. “As a result of our differences with the current Federation leadership, I along with other Change to Win members will not accept nomination for re-election to the AFL-CIO Executive Council.”

There are stark differences between Change to Win’s platform and the AFL-CIO leadership, despite the Federations assertion that differences had narrowed.

The AFL-CIO chose to emphasize political spending at the expense of organizing--Change to Win unions backed allocating half of the AFL-CIO’s per capita revenues and its credit card royalties to organizing, or about $72 million a year. The AFL-CIO proposed $22.5 million. In addition, the Federation declined to institute standards of accountability for all affiliates to ensure that every link of the labor movement is strong enough to organize, mobilize and be heard in politics.

“Workers today worry about paying for health care, about having a job tomorrow, about putting their kids through school and eventually having the ability to retire. The way the labor movement is structured today it does not have the power to win these kinds of fights for working people,” General President O’Sullivan said. “It is hard to understand how the current leadership could propose pouring more money into politics when it is obvious that the key to the decline of the union movement is because we are losing members and market share. I believe fundamentally that the only path forward is through growth. The current AFL-CIO leadership believes they can politick its way out of our decline.”

LIUNA is fully engaged with Change to Win and has begun joint meetings of organizing and political staffs to chart future efforts, while continuing to be engaged with the Federation

“It is crucial that all trade unionists remain focused on the real issue: growing our organizations so that working men and women have the real power they deserve and the strength they need to win family-supporting wages, good benefits and future security,” General President O’Sullivan said. “This is not a fight between unions, but rather a fight for justice for ordinary working men and women and restoring the American Dream.”

LIUNA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 905 16TH STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 7/25/2005

[Soul Seeker]

The unions breaking away from the AFL-CIO want to commit more money to recruiting new members and complain that the federation has committed too much money and placed too much emphasis on backing political candidates — particularly Democrats.

Hmm...wonder if my sending back their propaganda and including '04 Bush materials had an affect last year? ;-)

Too late. I'm non union now, but love to see the unions splintering.

[Ciexyz]

As a former AFL-CIO member (I was a member of the union until the day I retired), I'm following this issue with interest.

The leadership just doesn't get it, that members don't want them to march lockstep with the Dems, esp. on social issues like abortion and anti-war positions.

[bourbon]

NOW is the time to reform U.S. labor laws which were designed to function in a 1930s-1950s industrial economy! Reforms are needed while the unions are on the mat.

You never know when unions and the labor-friendly laws that give them succor will rise from the grave to bite our country in the a$$ again.

[madison46]

Ah, something I can drink to....and if Gov Arnold gets the ballot measure passed that will require unions to get member permission before spending on politics is passed, I'm having a party. Unions are corrupt extortionists IMO

[BOBTHENAILER]

particularly Democrats."

Nice post and emphasis. We'll see if this makes a sea change, as I'm anxiously hoping for.

[Teacher317]

Union dues are only supposed to be used for collective bargaining, contract administration, or grievance adjustment.

[Chode]

HA ha...

[SauronOfMordor]

For generations, the Dems had been able to hold onto power by delivering goodies to the people who finance them

The downside, of course, is once they are out of power, and unable to deliver the goodies, then the people who had been giving them money and time no longer have anything to show for it, so they stop supporting the Dems

[jmaroneps37]

Trouble in the evil donkey's barn always makes me smile.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

bump

[SunkenCiv]

2006 ping for a 2005 topic, as we head into the election.

[BaBaStooey]

The UFCW had some real sleazeballs working for them and some rather unsavory recruiting tactics back when I used to be a non-union grocery store worker.

[Recovering_Democrat]

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA HA HA HA HA!
Less money for the RATS.....I love it.

[shempy]

I just hope they don't start buying off Republicans with that money. Democrats supporting the goonery and socialism of unions is a natural fit. But any Republican that would support unions is a 2-bit political whore that needs to be kicked out of the party.