Chicago Indymedia : http://chicago.indymedia.org/archive
Chicago Indymedia

Commentary :: Labor

Whither Labor: AFL-CIO Votes against Bush’s War:

Jerry Tucker Reports on the 2005 AFL-CIO Convention
On scale, today’s activities at the AFL-CIO Convention were almost routine and even a little dull. Dull that is compared to the excitement of Sunday’s pre-convention boycott announcement by four big unions. And, compared to the even bigger news yesterday, the convention's first day, of the official breakaway of two of the nation's largest unions, SEIU and the Teamsters. This is a convention where history is unfolding, and yet delegates are still bound to wade through a series of resolutions and amendments in very traditional ways.

In light of what already happened, news to report becomes a little skimpy. There were more political speeches in the morning, including by Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. This is really routine fare until we come to the highlight of the morning -- a speech to the convention by the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

As he is known to do, Jesse Jackson turned up the volume, brought a new cadence to the almost somber air, and laid out a prescription for rejuvenation. Citing many historic moments when power had to be seized independently because it was not to be given, he exhorted the convention to “get on the third rail where the juice is” and take on the many problems workers are confronted with. In addition to other timely "directives," Brother Jackson emphatically called on delegates to support an end to the unjust war in Iraq -- now!

The balance of the day was consumed with more resolutions, many now taking on greater weight since Monday's announced split and the anticipated loss of revenues and the impact on the functioning of many subordinate bodies, like the State Federation and the local Central Labor Councils. The thrust of much of what was approved sought to recoup lost dues through affiliates who in the past would only partially affiliate at those levels.

Finally, near the end of the day, the resolution against the war in Iraq was brought to the floor. Many anti-war delegates and USLAW (US Labor Against the War) supporters had feared this proposed resolution would be held back to the very last day and possibly even not voted on at all. These fears were grounded in the Federation’s history of blind support for the war in Viet Nam and an earlier timidity to speak out on Iraq even as public support was evaporating for the Bush Administration’s falsely justified invasion and desperately failing occupation. The delegates had the answer. The resolution was passed with only modest opposition.

Tomorrow may be again a slow day with nuggets of real news hard to find, but we’ll go hunting for them. One area of real internal dispute clearly remains: the continued activities of the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center’s receipt of the State Department-sponsored National Endowment for Democracy funds. Proponents of ending this "unholy" alliance have been working hard to get a resolution on the floor for a vote. It may come up on Wednesday.

A quick note regarding democracy within the AFL-CIO: there are rarely ever contested elections for Executive Council members. The Federation merely puts out a slate equal to the number of seats to be elected, and that's it. But this year Harry Kelber -- a long-time critic (he's a very spry 91) of Federation policy and, as he sees it, their lack of accountability -- is an announced candidate for a seat on the Council. There seems to be some hanky-panky going on to keep Harry from even being nominated by top officials. This is not a good image for any so-called "democratic" organization to project, much less one under the scrutiny of the media, given the big split of yesterday.

I'm going to close now and find my way over to the Drake Hotel to attend an "Elect Harry Kelber" rally. The young man who gave me a flyer on the rally also told me that, as a special treat, “the ashes of the great martyred IWW icon, Joe Hill, would be on display.” That's an old ploy and fits the legend of Joe Hill who exhorted "workers not to mourn, but to organize," but the invocation of the spirit of Joe is a fitting one in this case (Joe was shot by firing squad in the 1920s, and Harry Kelber would have been alive at the time). Well, as to the ashes -- who knows?
 
 

Donate

Views

Account Login

Media Centers

 

This site made manifest by dadaIMC software