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January 14, 2006
UFW Leaves
I don't think we should make much of the United Farm Workers leaving the AFL-CIO. Sure, the union has a certain iconic position in the movement's lore which is quite disproportionate to its current size and impact on anything happening in labor.
Remember, the UFW was already part of the Change To Win coalition--like the Laborers, the UFW joined the CTW last summer without leaving the AFL-CIO.
The real question is: can the UFW turn around its fortunes by jumping on board the CTW? One thing the UFW loses is a significant subsidy--I recall it was around $750,000--from the AFL-CIO. I assume there have been some promises made to extend money, organizers and other support to the union. I'm asking...and well let you'all know.
January 14, 2006 in Inside Labor | Permalink
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Comments
I wish this was something to get excited about, but I don't think it is. The LA Times went after the UFW, for good reason, last weekend. Marc Cooper has written about this before and has some good posts here: http://marccooper.com/picking-on-the-heirs-of-cesar-chavez-a-ripe-story/
And here: http://marccooper.com/medina-on-ufw-no-regrets/
Posted by: madball | Jan 14, 2006 11:53:39 AM
Marc cooper is a damn fool. Considering his latest poorly soured screed against Hugo Chavez, I’m not about to trust him going after another bunch of latinos.
Posted by: Andrew | Jan 14, 2006 2:12:48 PM
Hmmm. Remember the 1970's when the Teamsters were not in the AFL-CIO and were raiding the UFW and signing growers to what the UFW called sweetheart contracts? It was the AFL-CIO that helped protect them. I Guess they have patched things up.
Posted by: riunionboss | Jan 14, 2006 8:45:33 PM
And 25 years after the UFW drove out their best organizers mostly into SEIU, those very same ex-UFW organizers are in a position to lend a hand to the revival of the UFW. Here's hoping they don't carry grudges.
Posted by: John Williams | Jan 16, 2006 12:58:56 AM
