No Deal Yet, CLCs Organizing

    It's just as warm and humid here in Chicago so it's not much of an escape from the thick soup in New York. But, you don't want to hear a weather report. Alright, down to business...

    This is the time when the pressure heats up a bit and we see whether any movement is made. This morning, the Executive Council meets at the Sheraton Hotel (which, for picture's sake, sits along the river here in the Windy City). Last night, the principals and closest advisors of the Change To Win coalition met for a long dinner to review their game plan.

    Says one: "We're not going to be here on Monday [the opening of the convention] if there isn't some deal." At this point, four of the unions--SEIU, UFCW, UNITE-HERE and Teamsters--have given authorization to their officers to make a decision to disaffiliate from the Federation (the most recent decision coming from the Teamsters executive board on Wednesday night). They already are behind in their per capita payments, having not sent checks to the Federation for the past two months.

    According to this person, "the vibe in our group is very energetic and the vibe on their side is despondent." Well, having just arrived this afternoon (after a hellish trip...you don't want to know), I can't say I've gotten a feel for the Sweeney camp's mood (though I did see AFSCME's Gerry McEntee striding across the street with a small entourage around dinner time).

    According to this person, there has been a proposal floated that there would be a nine-month succession period--John Sweeney serves that period and, then, steps down. But, that has been rejected by the insurgents.

    On a different front, the agitation from the leaders of Central Labor Councils continues. A group of them have a meeting scheduled today with AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka to push a proposal which would give CLCs, particularly in low union-density states, dedicated staff. Where would that staff come from? The political budget. Here's a copy of the proposal that has been circulated among key CLC leaders.

    I also got an actual copy of the resolution passed by the Denver Labor council, which is similar to other resolutions passed by CLCs, which basically says "we want to work with any union who wants to be part of our CLC." This matters to real-live functioning councils because the big affiliates contribute a lot of money and energy to organizing and political mobilization. But, the resolution also is a challenge to Sweeney's position that no union that is outside the AFL-CIO can belong to the Federation's central labor bodies--which I've said before is a short-sighted position.

    I also hear that Trumka has been trying to round up CLC endorsers for the Sweeney program and budget but has been getting a lot of "no thank-yous." But, I'll check up on that with the man himself.

    A colleague, Juan Gonzalez of the Daily News, raised an interesting, if small, point in his column yesterday. If SEIU pulls out of the Federation before Sweeney's re-election, Sweeney, an SEIU member (and past president before he took the Federation post) may have to find another union to take him on in order for him to be eligible to run for office--a candidate for office has to belong to a union belonging to the Federation at the time of his or her nomination. Personally, I'd go with the Screen Actors Guild--guaranteed seat at the Oscars.

Comments

[Bill Pearson]

As my old friend Art Shostak would say, this is the "wild card" in the whole deal. With the battle lines drawn, the only real question is where the CLC's will fall down in the fight.

You have to believe Sweeney and company felt they were a mortal lock to support them; but the thought of bouncing the biggest per cap payers from central bodies has to leave them shaking. At some point being pragmatic will set in and the deal will be cut.

You hit the nail on the head T when you published the column on the financial hit. The biz union model (sorry, but that's the most effective way to define it) is all about the money and the idea their revenue stream will be cut in half will be the catalyst for a compromise.

I expect the end game will see Sweeney step aside, Trumka takes the lead spot and a NUP'er will be given the Secretary Treasurer position. Deals will be done to include rebates and rollbacks on the amount of money the boys want to throw at politics.

The net will be little will change. The gnashing of teeth will be over for a few brief moments: Unfortunately the opportunity of a lifetime will be wasted as the the convention closes with yet another hollow rendition of Solidarity Forever.

[anon]

It will be a cold day in hell when Hoffa agrees to a deal that involves a promotion for Trumka.

[Adam Chervin]

God I hope Bill is wrong... The worst resolution to this whole matter is Trumka taking over and a Wilhelm or some other CtWer taking the second spot. When the fight becomes about who will lead a Federation that doesn't actually facilitate real organizing, we've lost.

In my mind the crux of this debate is how do we create real incentives for International unions to come up with a coherent plan to organize within industries. The Federation only fits into it because the carrots it offers are not that tasty and the stick it carries is small. I've never been convinced that splitting is the answer, but creating an alternative federation with strict rules did create the possibility of real carrots and sticks. If a union actually institutes budgetary and structural changes to really organize, you get to partner with unions that will help pay for your organizing. If you don't, you can be sure that any attempts to organize outside your industry will be met with a quick reaction.

What SEIU is doing in LA, raiding the United Domestic Workers, fits right into this. It lets AFSCME know that SEIU can go in and take its members whenever it wants plus it builds SEIU's power in California. It's a shot across the bow that in the event of a split creates incentives to sign no raid agreements. They may be jerks, but they're jerks who know how to win.

Here's hoping any compromise doesn't result in saving the Federation but not changing anything as far as new organizing is concerned.