Following the contentious early March AFL-CIO executive council meeting, the presidents of the Service Employees, Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers, Laborers, and UNITE HERE issued a joint statement criticizing AFL-CIO President John Sweeney’s leadership. The opposition leaders called for a program that included dues rebates for select affiliates; an expedited union merger process; and a greater focus on organizing.

At a June 15 press conference, the five unions launched the Change to Win Coalition, a formal alliance complete with its own constitution and bylaws. Laborers President Terrence O’ Sullivan bluntly stated, “We believe that the AFL-CIO as it currently stands cannot lead ... [a revitalized labor] movement.”

Some of the coalition unions have already reportedly launched joint organizing programs. SEIU and UNITE HERE, for instance, are hiring organizers for an entity known as the United Service Workers.

With the AFL-CIO convention rapidly approaching, Labor Notes will continue to follow developments within the federation, and we welcome input and questions from our readers.

www.labornotes.org/archives/2005/05/articles/d.shtml