AFL-CIO President John Sweeney issues memo telling local and regional AFL-CIO central labor councils and state federations that disaffiliated unions seeking to create "partnerships" with
AFL-CIO bodies are directly challenging the unity upon which the AFL-CIO depends. Sweeney is telling leaders of these state and regional AFL-CIO organizations they must reject efforts to pick and choose these "partnerships". Sweeney calls these attempts "free-riding" and he vows that the disaffiliated unions won't turn the AFL-CIO into an "open shop operation".