Convention Wrap-Up

Like a lot of regular features around here, my coverage of Oregon AFL-CIO President Tim Sweeney's daily blog from the AFL-CIO convention has slipped a bit, the result of an erratic work schedule and deadline pressure's in other arenas (yeah, Deej, I'm working on it) It's all here, though, a remarkable document, really, of the thoughts and impressions of a labor leader at a historic time.

Some clips from the closing days...

Castigating the decision of the Teamsters and SEIU to disaffiliate from the AFL-CIO won’t answer the question about the better path to follow to rebuild the union movement. Those unions say they have a better way to organize themselves to organize more workers and restore the American dream, and they may still get more unions to join them in that effort. The AFL-CIO unions are reorganizing themselves for the same goals and will leave this convention with renewed, if sometimes angry, determination. May they both succeed.

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Convention delegates approved a reduction in the size of the AFL-CIO’s governing board that removed eight seats previously held by the four unions – SEIU, the Teamsters, UFCW and UNITE/HERE. But they also allowed those seats to be reactivated if any of those unions return to the fold during the next four years. Think of chairs stacked in the closet next to the meeting room. At least the AFL-CIO will be ready if any of the missing unions return.

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“I worked with all of the unions in the ‘Change to Win’ group over the years,” Hill added. “I respect them for their roles in forcing the debate…over the present state of the labor movement…Our door should always be open…Let us firmly stand as one for the mutual benefit of people whose very lives depend of our solidarity.”

Ed Hill, President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

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“No union, no middle class; it’s that simple.”

John Sweeney, AFL-CIO President

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We can be proud of the changes made by the AFL-CIO at this convention...If this is a house, it was rewired and rehabilitated.

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The break-away unions wished the AFL-CIO success as they walked out the door. The AFL-CIO let them know the door remains open for their return. Now, we will see if “the split” fosters a healthy rivalry or destructive competition, whether the new alliances of unions will strive to outdo each other or undo each other, and whether they can continue to make common cause at the local level, where some of our most critical political battles lie ahead.

It's all good, though, and a careful reading will doubtless teach most folks more than they know about labor's present condition and future promise.