By Doug Cunningham

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has issued a memo telling local and regional AFL-CIO central labor councils and state federations that disaffiliated unions seeking now to create "partnerships" with AFL-CIO bodies are directly challenging the unity upon which the AFL-CIO depends.

[John Sweeney 1] : "The disaffiliated unions are trying to cut deals and enter into so-called partnerships with some of our state federations and some of our central labor councils. This presents a direct challenge to the principles of unity and solidarity."

Sweeney says there’s no room for “free-riders” who try to pick and choose how they will be affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

[Sweeney 2] : "We cannot allow these organizations to pick and choose which parts of the federation they want to belong to. We are a united, unified federation. And we will not allow this federation to be turned into an open shop operation."