AFL-CIO "viritually unanimous to support" HCR "an important first step"

[grantcart]

AFL-CIO throws its weight behind the health-care bill, despite earlier doubts

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/afl-cio-throws-its-weight-behi.html?wprss=44

AFL-CIO throws its weight behind the health-care bill, despite earlier doubts
By Alec MacGillis
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has a message for labor-friendly Democrats like Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch who say they are still not ready to support the health-care overhaul: it's good enough for us.

Trumka said in a conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon that the labor federation has voted overwhelmingly to support the final version of the health-care bill, despite the fact that it lacks many elements the AFL has sought.

"We're saying look, the status quo doesn't work. Is this a perfect bill? No... It's an important first step," he said. "Every time in the past, insurance companies were able to stop any health-care reform from happening. This time they won't be successful, and we'll have a strong platform to build out into the future."

On edit:

Responder down thread questioned whether it really represented the true feeling of the AFL-CIO.

The AP is reporting that the vote of the Executive Council was 'virtually unanimous'

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9EH6TB00&show_article=1

WASHINGTON (AP) - A union official says the nation's largest labor federation is strongly endorsing the Obama administration's health care overhaul bill and plans to push wavering lawmakers for support.

A union official familiar with the proceedings says the AFL-CIO's executive council has voted virtually unanimously to support the plan.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement was planned later.

[saracat]

1. Rank and file differs with leadership on this.There isn't any

"overwhelming support". But heck, it doesn't matter, a deal was made.

[grantcart]

3. So your charge is that when

Trumka is saying tht the "labor federation has voted overwhelmingly to support the final version of the health-care bill" that he is lying?

[saracat]

4. Probablly has HIS overwhelming support. My husband is in the AFL-CIO and hasn't seen this tidal wave

of support and oddly, there wasn't the support for it till just yesterday after Trunka's meeting. A deal was struck obviously but the rank and file were not consulted.

[grantcart]

5. The AP is reporting that the Executive Council vote was "virtually unanimous"

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9EH6TB00&show_article=1

WASHINGTON (AP) - A union official says the nation's largest labor federation is strongly endorsing the Obama administration's health care overhaul bill and plans to push wavering lawmakers for support.

A union official familiar with the proceedings says the AFL-CIO's executive council has voted virtually unanimously to support the plan.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement was planned later.



So if this is highly contrary to the interests of the rank and file can you cite some link to an agency report from a reputable news agency that shows the rank and file have rejected, which coincidentally mirrors your personal

[saracat]

6. Blah blah blah. They were opposed to it until after the emergency meeting.

And the Exec Council is leadership. There wasn't even a poll taken of the membership.

[saracat]

8. Most rank and file agree with the Machinist Union

Press Releases
Machinists Members Adamantly Opposed to Health Care Excise Tax
March 18, 2010

Washington, D.C., March 18, 2010 – Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) delivered a bipartisan thumping to both political parties as well as the White House in an online survey of workers’ attitudes. But there can be no mistaking their strong opposition to key provisions of health care reform.

On the pending health care legislation, nearly 68 percent of Machinists adamantly opposed the 40 percent excise tax on health care plans. Seventy percent gave a thumbs-down to penalties for those without health care coverage and 64.9 percent wanted a public option. President Obama was given only 18.9 percent approval for his efforts to control the cost of health insurance by the 1,262 Machinists completing the survey.

The poll’s opening right track/wrong track question produced a 75.0 percent wrong track response from IAM members. President Obama’s overall job approval rating was 38.5 percent, while the House of Representatives job approval was just 11.3 percent. The U.S. Senate drew only 5.5 percent as either excellent (.3 of one percent) or good (5.2 %).

IAM members were even handed in their disapproval. They felt neither party was controlling the growth of the Federal deficit (67.1 %); standing up forcefully to the big banks (64.1 %) or pushing a strong jobs program to get people back to work (63.6 %).

In response to questions about the Democratic Party, over 88 percent agreed with the statement: “the Democratic Party doesn’t represent working people as strongly as they used to.” An identical percentage said they would “be inclined to support either party if they stood up strongly for the interests of ordinary working people.”

“For most Machinists, this Democratic White House, Congress and Senate is seen as turning their backs on the blue-collar workforce,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “Over 54 percent said they would NOT support their member of Congress for re-election, and three-fifth’s said their congressman was a Democrat.”

The IAM is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America, representing nearly 700,000 active and retired members in dozens of industries.

http://www.goiam.org/index.php/news/press-releases/7025...

------------------------------------

[ProSense]

9. "IAM President Tom Buffenbarger"?

Buffenbarger called Obama a “thespian,” and he sarcastically referred to the junior senator from Illinois as a “wunderkind.” He compared Obama to “Janus, the two-faced Roman god of ancient times.” And he pleaded with the crowd to boo Obama’s labor record.

Early in his speech, Buffenbarger asked, “So now we have a decision to make. Will we rely on the Harvard Law Review editor? The silver-tongued orator from Kansas, Hawaii and Illinois? The man in love with the microphone?”

Taking off the gloves, he said, “Barack Obama is no Muhammad Ali. He took a walk every time there was a tough vote in the Illinois State Senate. He took a walk more than a 130 times. That's what a shadow boxer does. All the right moves. All the right combinations. All the right footwork. But he never steps into the ring.”

link

Figures.

[saracat]

11. OOH. Another Primary quote? Seriously? This anyone who didn't

support Obama in the primary from day one has no credibility to you. This is getting really old. Both Hillary and Edwards had a LOT of Union support. Perhaps all the unions who did NOT endorse the president first should be exempt from comment? :sarcasm: Whatever the machinist Prez said during the primary has NOTHING to do with what the rank and file machinist think about HCR today. And at least they had a survey.

[ProSense]

12. Buffenbarger is a buffoon. n/t

[saracat]

14. Because he didn't support your Primary candidate ?AIRC, they supported Obama in the general.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

13. Oh, and here

are the unions supporting the bill.

[saracat]

15. Looks like advertising. MY union household and none of my union families are supporting this

and none of the Union Dems I know are.But hey, its going to pass anyway. Why do you bother me with this? I certainly am not goingv to my husband or his union and say Gee, Trumka likes it, I think you should support it. This will pass but without the support of many of us.

[grantcart]

10. The news report indicates that the unions were able to get

an 80% reduction in the excise tax so the approval/disapproval ratings you refer to do not indicate the opinion on the final bill.

In any case none of the statistics are on point on the question "should this bill be passed or defeated". I would assume that the Executive Council would be in agreement with most or all of those statements but still think that the bill should be passed (by nearly unanimous agreement).

Do you have any reports that are on point, namely that the rank and file of the AFL-CIO want to see this bill defeated?

[readmoreoften]

20. +1

That's why union insiders regularly joke and call the AFL-CIO, the AFL-CIA. You have to struggle within your union to actually make it fight for workers. That's why the Republic of Window and Doors action was so effective--it was a fighting union.

[grantcart]

16. The Exec Council is a large representation of the union not 3 officers

But the fact that they are leadership actually means that they were elected by members and are not simply a projection of personal views with some anecdotal contacts, as important and wise opinion leader that your husband is.

At this point the facts are that AFL-CIO leadership voted 'nearly unanimously' to support the bill enthusiastically.

There is no evidence that the rank and file do not agree with the leadership on the question of support for the final bill, especially after they were successful in reducing the excise tax by 80%.

[eridani]

17. No, just that he doesn't give a damn about what the rank and file thinks n/t

[ProSense]

7. No,

they are not:

The people are saying YES to health reform

HCAN: membership

[pampango]

2. Good for them. Nice to see the AFL-CIO working for this change. The SEIU is, too. n/t

[readmoreoften]

19. Yes, "Business Model Unions" often sell their rank-and-file down the river.

We need to revolutionize unions in this country. Their conservative turn is, unfortunately, part of the demise of unions in general and part of the loss of the working class power.