AFL-CIO’s Trumka looks to remake U.S. labor movement

[alp227]

Source: Washington Post

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Wednesday he is crafting a new plan to remake the American labor movement, which is struggling to retain clout in Washington and state capitals amid a steep decline in membership.

In an interview taped for C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program, Trumka said he was seeking a more formal alliance with other key elements of the Democratic Party’s liberal base, including civil rights organizations and women’s rights groups. The hope, he said, is to then broaden union membership beyond the traditional realm of workplace-based organizing.

“The labor movement is definitely in a period of change,” Trumka said. “We’re no longer going to allow employers to decide who our members are. We’re going to decide who our members are. We’re going to open up our arms to people who want to join our movement.”

Trumka’s initiative is a response to what has been a difficult time for labor unions. State lawmakers across the country have moved to scale back organizing rights for public employees and others. A shrinking base of manufacturing jobs that once formed the backbone of organized labor has further depleted the pool of potential members. And despite high hopes four years ago that President Obama and the Democrats would pass legislation making it easier for workers to organize and perhaps laying the groundwork for rebuilding union power, the measure never made it to fruition. Moreover, thorny issues such as immigration have exacerbated tensions among some unions in the labor federation and between the AFL-CIO and other union groups.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/03/27/afl-cios-trumka-looks-to-remake-u-s-labor-movement/

[Kingofalldems]

1. Excellent.

[loudsue]

2. I AM SOOOO GLAD TO HEAR THIS!!! I WANT TO JOIN RIGHT NOW!!!

(Pls excuz teh shouting???!!!******

I've been hoping for YEARS that someone in the labor hierarchy would realize how many regular working people would like to join a union. The whole union thing NEEDS to be restructured and revamped for the new world we live in. Labor all over the world needs a voice against the 1% we work for.

This sooo rocks!!

[pasto76]

6. just keep in mind that even in the 50s

Labor was only at 35% of the workforce. According to DOL, last year it was 11.2%. I'm second generation union I
Iron worker. Dad was president of his major eat coast local, and I'm down with any thing to make people realize how valuable labor is to this county. Just keeping it in perspective

[loudsue]

16. I understand. And beginning with reagan, labor unions became the whipping boys

of the republican party, who own the media, and who will do ANYTHING in their power to discredit whatever progress will be made. But it is time in our evolution for the voice and value of labor to be heard around the world. I don't mind if some people want to be terribly rich....I say, let 'em. Just make sure they know WHOSE money they're getting, and how. That is not every person's path. Not everyone gives a damn about untold wealth. And the vast majority of people just want a good job, respect for their work, a home and food and education and medicine for their family. And an even playing field.

That is just plain not too much to ask.

One thing, too, that will help, is if we can get more employee-owned companies to COMPETE with shareholder-owned corporations, when often the (foreign) shareholders world view is that workers are slaves, and should have no say.

If employees owned the companies, they could fund education, have benefits, and profit sharing. All the things employees want to have back, they could have if they owned the companies, and didn't have to go begging for minimum wage crap. Like Mondragon in Spain, and others. It is so do-able.

Big applause for Richard Trumka. There are so many advantages and potential pitfalls to expanding labor unions. It is going to take some serious strategy to make sure the wingnuts don't infiltrate with their paid operatives (lobbyists, of sorts) trying to turn the unions in a rightwing direction, like they have done to leadership in some unions. There are a lot of strategies that need to be thought through to make sure the worker truly benefits, and still leaves room for expansions and contractions in the enterprises they work with.

It CAN be done, but the corporate/industrial/military complex needs to realize they have to be PARTNERS with labor.

[ReRe]

3. I don't even work and I want to join!

K&R

You go, Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO!

[Samantha]

14. I just opened a small business last year AND I WANT TO JOIN TO0

I actually have thought about making that suggestion many times -- that they should allow something like FRIENDS of the AFL-CIO to join and pay whatever "dues" they can afford. I would do that in a heartbeat but never had the nerve to offer up the suggestion because I thought there would be some legal technicality that would prevent it. If they swing this, I believe they will find out they have a lot of support.

I have never belonged to a union before and I would absolutely love to do so.

Sam

PS And I would like to have a union button to wear as well, once I paid my dues!!!

[ReRe]

17. STOP THE INTERNET, EVERYBODY....

.... WE HAVE A BUSINESS OWNER HERE WHO WANTS TO JOIN A UNION!!!!!
I would love to shake your hand! Sam, I hope you never change. Something tells me that you are going to be a very good business owner...like that guy at Costco. I salute you!

[Samantha]

18. Thank you -- I would love to stop and chat but

I am out picketing myself now. I should be making a lot more money and at least getting one or two breaks everyday. Most of all, I demand paid sick time and paid vacation. I will be out on strike until I get my basic terms met.

Sam

[bvar22]

4. The 35 year decline of the Middle (Working) Class...

...parallels the destruction of the Unions
and the propagation of "Free Trade".


Sorry, Virginia,
but there is NO Giant Invisible Hand.
The Rich & Powerful made that shit up to get more money for themselves.
Their scam has worked perfectly.

[rurallib]

5. If true, I m joining immediately

Somehow Congress will fuck this up.

[neoclown]

7. I don't think Trumka goes far enough.

This is a great start, and the labor movement needs a boost, but it has to reach further than this. You can (and should) reach out to other groups in the Democratic party like the LGBT community, to hispanic groups, etc., I think they would all like the support, but you need to bring in money.

If the AFL-CIO really wants to change and grow, they need to start backing worker-owned coops and helping individuals and groups start up coops. It would be so much better (and easier) than having to negotiate with a bunch of winy business owners or waiting for our bought and paid for politicians to do something other than spit on workers.

The AFL-CIO has the capacity: they can help coops get loans (or give them loans), provide guidance on red tape, provide legal service, and help organize the coops into a cohesive business.

[xtraxritical]

11. If they could do everything you say what defense is there against shysters like Mitt Romney

and Bain Capital. They take over management of a company and use the assets of the company to leverage loans. The money from the loans is all paid out to the Bain managers then they go bankrupt and the employees are f'ed, union or not. Oh yeah, they then ship the equipment to China or India and do the manufacturing there. I really don't see how the unions stand a chance but I hope Trumpka can get traction on this.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. "Make no mistake... I already got everything I need from you and yours."

"Oh, hey Jamie! Lloyd! Great to see you guys again. Can I get another glass of that Sauternes?"

[Proletariatprincess]

9. This is a brilliant strategy.

Bravo to Richard Trumpka. This is the way to go. Labor is a Movement, not just an fraternal organization of working people. It must be socially conscious and the strong arm of the working class in the war against corporate enslavement.
I met Richard 30 years ago when he was still president of the Mine workers. We Local unionists were so impressed with this young man and had great hopes that he could save the , then faltering (now failing), Labor movement. His time has come now, and it seems to me that he is right on target.

[Phlem]

10. Wish there was a technical arts union

for 3D artists and animators in the game industry. Talk about your white collar slavery.

I would join in a heart beat!

-p

[Starry Messenger]

12. k&r

[NBachers]

13. How about making unions more friendly and accessible to ordinary working people?

I've got a long history in building trades, maintenance, and repair.

Back in the mid- '90's, when I was trying to establish myself in San Francisco, I tried to get something going with Local 39, the Stationary Engineers union.

The people I tried to deal with were rabid abusive shitheads. "No! We don't have any programs like that!" "No! There's nobody here to talk to!" "No! I can't help you! Go away!"

I'm serious- this was my experience with these fucked up offensive jerks. They finally chased me away and I got discouraged and gave up.

As you can tell, they left a sore spot that's still painful. Not much of an outreach program.

[LovingA2andMI]

15. Here's a thought

INCLUDE the 99ers Mr. Trumka....you know like America's long-term unemployed who backs unions turned on in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 when they were left out to dry and be hungry by Congress. The same Congress which had some members say that the long-term unemployed were drug addicts.

Yes, please include the 99ers that have been waiting in some cases five years for SOMEONE, ANYONE to acknowledge their existence as Americans who WANT TO WORK. Some are working at jobs making at or near minimum wage now, at a steep decline from their former middle class existence prior to being laid off by no fault of their own.

Don't call the movement anything else this time Mr. Trumka or "mix the message" about the 99% who amazingly were the 98% first. Remember Trumka....a movement called Occupy blended that message. Now when people say 99er somehow they confuse this with Occupy. Wonder how that happened?

The 99ers are a movement. Many are homeless, car-less and still job-less. Others are working now for at or near minimum wage praying to pay next months' bills by a wing and a prayer. Many others were victims of the housing crisis and now have bad credit (although they could pay their bills well when they had a decent paying JOB).

And please don't forget the 99ers in whatever you decide to do this time to change the "message" of unionization, Mr. Trumka. And if for some reason you think the 99ers cause is lost and forgotten...not so much (by the way, this is NOT my blog....just one I follow as I was a 99er for a long-time too).

http://helpthe99ers.blogspot.com/