By Doug Cunningham

(St. Louis) – With a fiery passion and a fighting spirit seven international unions launched the Change To Win federation here in St. Louis Tuesday. UNITE-HERE’s Bruce Raynor.

[Raynor]: "Brothers and sisters, today’s the day to make history in this country. Today is the day to rebuild the American labor movement! (applause)

They adopted a constitution, pledged to spend $750 million on organizing and vowed to come to each other’s aid with a militant solidarity. Teamster’s president Jim Hoffa.

[Jim Hoffa]: “Let’s rebuild the American labor movement as never before! We can do it. Let’s start today! Thank you.” (applause)

Laborer’s President Terry O’Sullivan’s speech was like a jolt of electricity through the Change To Win convention.

[Terry O’Sullivan]: “I hope it will be our spark that will light the fire of a worker’s revolution in this country because it’s high time that we take our country back for working families and for working men and women throughout this great land. No son of a Bush - or son of a bitch – is going to drive a nail in the coffin of organized labor!” (applause)

John Wilhelm of UNITE-HERE echoed that labor call to arms.

[John Wilhelm]: “Something bad has happened in this country. This country has been stolen from the workers who built it! We’re here today to say that stops now, that stops here, the people who built this country are going to take it back! Starting now!” (applause)

SEIU’s Andy Stern said the formation of the Change To Win federation is a solemn pledge to rebuild working class power in America.

[Andy Stern]: “We pledge to devote the vast majority of our resources to uniting the strength in modern, growing, strong, powerful organizing unions.”

The Carpenters Doug McCarran vowed that an attack on one union is an attack on all.

[Doug McCarran]: “An attack on the Teamsters or an attack on the Laborers will be considered an attack on the United Brotherhood of Carpenters!” (applause)

The Change To Win federation intends to launch strategic organizing crusades while energizing and activating rank and file activists. Federation Chair Anna Berger says political action is important, too, but this labor federation will only support politicians who stand with working America.

[Anna Berger] “We also believe in having an independent political voice. That we will support candidates whether they are Democrat or Republican if they stand with us on critical issues of working families today. And we will oppose candidates, whether they be Democrat or Republican, if they stand against working families.”

Berger says Change To Win and the AFL-CIO both want justice and a powerful voice for working families – they’re just using different strategies to achieve those goals.

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