Former AFL-CIO Unions Can Return to Federation

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/08/12/former-afl-cio-unions-can-return-to-federation/

Former AFL-CIO Unions Can Return to Federation

In recent years, a number of AFL-CIO unions merged into other affiliates that later left the AFL-CIO and became part of the Change to Win (CTW) coalition. In disaffiliating from the AFL-CIO last year, the CTW unions took the merged AFL-CIO unions with them. And not all the former AFL-CIO affiliates are happy about that.

Now they may be able to join the AFL-CIO once again. At its quarterly meeting this week in Chicago, the AFL-CIO Executive Council voted to allow charters to be reissued to unions that merged into CTW unions before the disaffiliations.

A charter can be reissued by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney at the former affiliate’s request, in consultation with the federation’s Executive Committee. The rechartered affiliates will have all the rights and responsibilities of any other AFL-CIO union and will be allowed to remain part of their CTW parent unions.

The Executive Council decided to allow charters to be reissued “to provide these former national union affiliates with the continued opportunity to participate fully in the labor movement.”

The Executive Council also voted to expand the Solidarity Charters program to include local unions of the Laborers and United Farm Workers unions.

Solidarity charters allow locals of the disaffiliated unions to participate with the AFL-CIO at the state and local levels. So far, more than 2,000 solidarity charters have been issued, helping to restore unity in the labor movement.

by Mike Hall

[davsand]

1. Unions "Can" Return??

UNITY??? Aren't we talking mostly about "PLEASE return to the AFL-CIO?"

I'm glad to see them bend a bit on this, but it sure did take them long enough--don't ya think? We are strong when we are united. THAT is how the Labor movement works, and I was never able to understand why the guys at the top couldn't sort that out for themselves.

Glad to hear it. Hope it helps.

Regards.


Laura