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LOCAL News :: Labor

Teamsters, SEIU formally quit AFL-CIO

The Teamsters and SEUI jointly announced this afternoon that they've quit the AFL-CIO, a move that AFL-CIO loyalists have characterized as a power grab with devastating consequences for the labor movement. The SEUI, the Teamsters and their supporters in the dissident "Change to Win" faction say the split stems from failed negotiations to reform the AFL -- and will help unions grow over the long term. But some reformers say neither side in the faction fight is addressing the core issues in organized labor today.
The Teamsters and SEIU jointly announced this afternoon that they've quit the AFL-CIO, a move that AFL-CIO loyalists have characterized as a power grab with devastating consequences for the labor movement. The SEUI, the Teamsters and their supporters in the dissident "Change to Win" faction say the split stems from failed negotiations to reform the AFL -- and will help unions grow over the long term.

The Change to Win Coalition's demands included replacing AFL-CIO President John Sweeney with their candidate, more direct control over their members' AFL-CIO dues and the ability to force smaller unions to merge.

Not all of the Change to Win unions are happy with the split, and some SEIU locals are reportedly considering leaving their international out of concern that they have not been consulted about abandoning the AFL-CIO.

Labor analyst Kim Scipes says that the split could most severely impact labor in state-wide and local arenas. "The State Federations and local councils are deeply dependent on AFL-CIO funds -- and more importantly in many cases, volunteers," says Scipes. "This could potentially have a real impact in states like California, where the AFL-CIO and its members have joined with advocacy groups that include immigrants and supporters of civil liberties to oppose a series of repressive propositions."

Change to Win spokespeople have characterized the split as a dispute about whether the AFL-CIO will focus more resources on organizing the unorganized, who currently comprise the vast majority of U.S. workers. Today, fewer than one in
ten private sector workers belong to unions.

But labor reformers say the split is really about a fight between factions for power and control, pitting the Teamsters' James Hoffa and SEUI's Andy Stern against Stern's former mentor AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and Hoffa enemy Rich Trupmka, the AFL-CIO's secretary treasurer.

"This split will do nothing about one of the core problems with the labor movement, and that's the total lack of rank and file democracy in the locals," says carpenter Ken Little, who is running labor activist Harry Kelber's campaign for a slot on the AFL-CIO executive council. "The top-down heirarchy, the authoritarian leadership, the lack of accountability -- all of those problems are just as serious in the Change to Win unions as they are in the unions that have decided to stay in the AFL-CIO."

The split is creating considerable consternation in the Democratic Party, which has traditionally relied AFL-CIO support, from funds for candidates to campaign volunteers. Tens of millions of dollars in workers' dues could be at stake for the AFL-CIO and campaigns it's historically supported.

Read below for formal statements from the Teamsters and SEIU on the split:

Teamsters, SEIU formally quit AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement of James P. Hoffa on the Teamsters disaffiliation from the AFL-CIO:

Good afternoon. This is an historic day. I join my brother Andy Stern and the great SEIU in a joint announcement.

I am here today to announce that the General Executive Board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has unanimously voted to withdraw our membership from the AFL-CIO.

This decision has been reached through a lengthy and thoughtful process. It has been a difficult decision to make and we do not take this step lightly.

The Teamsters General Executive Board is directly elected by our 1.4 million members to chart the course of our great union. And after months of discussion and deliberation, we have made our decision as a matter of
principle and have decided on a new course of action.

We submitted, in good faith, proposals to dramatically change the direction of the AFL-CIO to stem the losses that we have endured over the past decade. We proposed that the AFL-CIO embark on a new course of action that would not only protect our existing Teamster members and their families, but lead to thousands of new working men and women having the opportunity to organize into a strong union that would give them the chance to achieve the American dream -- to own their own home, send their kids to college and plan a strong retirement.

In our view, we must have more union members in order to change the political climate that is undermining workers rights in this country.

The AFL-CIO has chosen the opposite approach.

Today's decision means that we have chosen a course of growth and strength for the American Labor Movement based on organizing new members.

We have partnered with seven strong and progressive unions in the Change to Win coalition to organize the unorganized and create real power for the working families of America.

Earlier today the leadership of the Change To Win coalition met with our respective organizing directors to set in motion a process of building larger scale strategic organizing capacity.

This is just the beginning of a new era for America's workers.

And let me be clear, the Teamsters will remain the bulwark of the labor movement. Striking workers, no matter what union they belong to, can always count on the Teamsters for support and assistance. That is our history and
tradition and we will never waiver from our proud role as defenders of America's working families.

We will continue to work with our brothers and sisters in the Building Trades, in State Federations and Central Labor Councils to achieve justice for all working people. But let me be clear, our coalition will not allow corporate America to pit one union against another to the detriment of our members and their families.

We wish our brothers and sisters that remain in the AFL-CIO the best of luck in their efforts. We pledge cooperation with the AFL-CIO on all the fronts that affect working families.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Web Site: www.teamster.org

www.seiu.org/media/press.cfm
SEIU Disaffiliates From National AFL-CIO to Concentrate on Strategies to Unite Millions More Working People

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which with 1.8 million members was the largest and fastest growing union in the AFL-CIO, has officially disaffiliated from the national federation, effective today.

The disaffiliation letter from SEIU President Andrew L. Stern noted that SEIU has in the past nine years “developed new strategies and new priorities to ensure that workers in our sectors of the economy have their hard work valued and rewarded.”

As a result, SEIU has helped more than 900,000 workers – most of them low-wage people of color, immigrants, and working women – to join the union movement and in so doing to gain health coverage for their families, retirement benefits, and the training, staff, and tools to provide quality service.

“We know that all the leaders of the AFL-CIO would like to see a world where workers’ efforts are valued and rewarded,” Stern said in the letter to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “But for many years, and particularly in the past nine months, our members and leaders have concluded that there are sincere, fundamental, and irreconcilable disagreements about how to accomplish that goal.

“We respect every one of those who have heartfelt ideas that differ from ours, and recognize and appreciate that they too have devoted their lives to the union movement. But there comes a time where if we can’t reach agreement on basic principles, we should each devote our efforts and resources to pursuing strategies we believe will help working people navigate the rough waters of the global economy, while supporting each other’s efforts wherever we can.”

Stern said SEIU intends to coordinate with the AFL-CIO and its individual unions and focus efforts on the nearly 90 percent of U.S. workers who have no union, not the few who are already organized. SEIU will seek no-raid agreements with other unions and will cooperate on strategies to help workers unite their strength in their core industries or occupations – regardless of whether the cooperating unions are in or out of the AFL-CIO.

It also will partner with the AFL-CIO to achieve common goals on issues important to working families and will contribute financially to those efforts.

SEIU has asked its local unions to continue to participate in and make payments to central labor councils and state labor federations as in the past.

SEIU is one of the 7 unions, representing nearly 6 million workers, that have come together to form the Change To Win Coalition in order to coordinate strategies to help millions more workers form unions in their industries.

“We believe that the next decade can be a time of innovation, new strategies, new energy, new growth, and new ideas that will bring to life a new, 21st century American Dream,” Stern said.
 
 

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