By Jesse Russell
[James Hoffa]: We have voted to disaffiliate from the AF of L-CIO.
That was Teamsters President James P. Hoffa speaking at a joint press
conference with the Service Employees International Union earlier
today. At the conference both unions announced their intention to
leave the AFL. Stern says the move is a recognition that the country
is in the midst of one of the most significant economic revolutions in
history.
[Andy Stern]: And the results for the American workers have been less
healthcare, less time to spend with their families, less secure pensions in
their retirement - and more debt and more insecurity about the future.
The American Dream has slipped out of reach for too many American
workers.
On Sunday the SEIU and Teamsters joined with the UFCW and
UNITE-Here to announce their intent to boycott their convention and
not run any members for the AFL executive council. Six unions make
up a new labor organization called the Change to Win Coalition.
Although the Laborers and Farm Workers are not running anyone for
the council they are participating in the convention.
During a rally intended to show support for AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney yesterday, various labor organizations outlined what the
federation is focused on in the near future with the Central American
Free Trade Agreement being at the top of the list.
[mcentee]: We've got a chance to look at the records in the terms of
CAFTA and every democrat that is on the wrong side of the roll call,
should not receive any of our support.
Gerald McEntee is President of the American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees. He said at the rally that even if the
other unions leave; the AFL will stand in solidarity.
[mcentee2]: We are here today to say that we will be here Monday, we
will be here Wednesday, we will be here Thursday, and maybe some
others will be gone but by Thursday we will be united in solidarity.
Dennis Serrette, President of the United Association of Labor
Education and a founder of the coalition of black trade unionists says organized labor is now experiencing the repercussions of not taking on trade issues when jobs began to move south years ago.
He also says a greater emphasis needs to be placed on organizing, but it
is going to be an up hill battle:
[Serette1]: This is like a closing the door after the horse is out situation.
We are going out to organize with one leg and one arm tied behind us,
which is an impossible situation when you are in crisis.
Serette added that he felt much of the rift at the top of the AFL was
due to ego and could be resolved with a cooling off period.
[Serette2]: If it goes too long, if it happens, we may not ever see labor,
you know, the way we see it today.
