Home > Four of Six "Change-to-Win" Unions to Boycott AFL-CIO Convention
Four of Six "Change-to-Win" Unions to Boycott AFL-CIO Convention
by Open-Publishing - Monday 25 July 2005Big Labor Split Now Seems Certain:
Four of Six "Change-to-Win" Unions to Boycott AFL-CIO Convention
by Jerry Tucker
In a meeting held late Sunday afternoon, the leaders and delegates from the rival "Change-to-Win" (CTW) faction of the ALF-CIO announced their intentions with regard to participation in the AFL-CIO Convention, scheduled to convene tomorrow, Monday July 25 in Chicago.
The presidents of all six CTW unions, SEIU, Unite-HERE, Teamsters, UFCW, Laborers, and UFW participated in the announcement at a press conference held in a separate hotel from the Convention hotel. Hundreds of the delegates of those unions were also present at the announcement.
There was loud applause when Anna Berger, SEIU Financial-Secty, and CTW President made the announcement that SEIU, Unite-HERE, UFCW, and the Teamsters would not participate in the Convention. The other two unions indicated that they would participate but, like the four other coalition members, they would not accept nomination or election to Executive Council positions in the AFL-CIO.
Questioned as to whether this decision would lead to full disaffiliation from the labor federation, both SEIU and the Teamsters President’s Andy Stern and James Hoffa indicated that "they would have a further announcement on that question tomorrow." The others in the coalition left the question open, but they pledged they were fully on board with moving forward with the Change-to-Win Coalition. UFCW indicated they also already had the authority to pull out, but did not indicate at what point they might do so.
In answer to a direct question about the reasons for this action and the specific differences they had with the AFL-CIO leadership, UFCW President Joe Hansen responded that the issues were "fundamental and principled." On being asked again to be more specific, he simply repeated that "the differences were fundamental and principled." Neither he nor any of the other presidents offered any further elaboration. Cheering was frequent and everyone sounded upbeat at this event. Stern closed the questioning by stating, in response to a reporter asking about dividing the labor movement, "We are not trying to divide the labor movement. We are trying to rebuild it." On that note, the press conference ended to loud cheers and applause.
The mood and tone of the CTW announcement meeting contrasted significantly from that of a meeting/pep rally held by the unions continuing to support the current AFL-CIO leadership earlier in the day. There were cheers for officials as they were introduced and music from a live band, but the mood was more subdued and, as the rally broke up, the participants leaving conveyed a collectively dour look. The band was trying to play "Solidarity Forever" as the delegates were leaving, but even the band seemed to reflect the mood, as the music has a slower, almost dirge-like sound to it.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney issued a statement following the CTW unions’ announcement in which he indicated that the "four unions have decided that if they can’t win, they won’t show up for the game."