By Doug Cunningham

Herman Benson, founder of the Association for Union Democracy, is out with a book called "Rebels, Reformers and Racketeers", a history of rank and file dissidents who have pressed for democratic reform and an end to corruption in the labor movement over the decades.

[Herman Benson 1] : "One of the more emotional aims of this book is to really tell about people who fought and died to make the union movement cleaner and more democratic. And people who, because they were dissidents , are forgotten."

The ninety year old Benson says he's seen enormous progress made by those fighting for union democracy…

[Benson 2] :"There has been enormous progress. And it's overlooked perhaps the labor movement as a whole obviously, as we know, is weaker in society. You know, I've been at this for a long time. In fact, for practically a generation and a half. So I can see the difference."

Benson says, however, that problems like this one remain…

[Benson 3] : "Corruption. And ordinary, vicious bullying - and arbitrary discipline of people who criticize."