AFL-CIO draws plan to let breakaway unions’ locals stay involved

BY FRANCINE KNOWLES Business Reporter

The AFL-CIO, which following the disaffiliations of several big unions last month sharply limited the work they could do with its local labor councils, changed its stance Thursday —a move welcomed by key groups here, but blasted by dissidents.

The national body said locals of the disaffiliated national unions can apply to be part of AFL-CIO central labor councils or state federations under proposed new solidarity charters. But it will cost them more.

Local labor councils and state federations had voiced concerns that their budgets would suffer after the Teamsters, Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers union quit the national AFL-CIO following disagreements over leadership and strategy.

The disaffiliated unions have said they want their locals to continue to participate in the councils and state federations.

But after the defections, national AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said the local councils and state federations could not accept dues or so-called per capita payments from disaffiliated unions. He also said disaffiliated unions could not affiliate with the local councils and state federations or serve as delegates or officers. He said that was required by the national constitution.

In Illinois, the defecting unions make up as much as 40 percent of the budgets and executive boards of some council affiliates and are among the most active.

On Thursday, Sweeney said that under the proposal, the disaffiliates could apply for membership, but they would have to pay a 10 percent solidarity fee to the labor council or state federation to help offset the cost of services provided by the national. The fee would go into a solidarity fund established to help local bodies hurt by the disaffiliations.

The disaffiliates would be able to serve on executive boards of the councils and state federations, but they would not be able to hold top offices. Locals that receive solidarity charters would need to agree to not raid other unions. They also would have to participate fully in local political mobilization efforts.

Sweeney has endorsed the proposal, which is being voted on by the Executive Council this week.

"Solidarity charters will allow unions to work together and let working people still benefit from a united grassroots movement that works for good jobs, health care and a voice in issues that matter to them," Sweeney said.

Anna Burger, chairwoman of the Change to Win Coalition, a recently formed dissident group that includes the disaffiliated unions, said the proposal is divisive.

"The AFL-CIO has taken a position that uses the rhetoric of unity, but is designed to provoke unnecessary division," she said.

She blasted what she labeled "fine-print poison-pill provisions," including what she labeled "discriminatory fees" and:

*The ban on participation in local and state leadership by disaffiliated unions.

*A requirement that Change to Win locals’ participation on the councils expires at the end of next year and that they cannot withdraw for any reason before then.

Teamsters spokeswoman Leigh Strope said it would be up to Teamsters locals to decide if they want to pay the 10 percent solidarity fund fee.

"The Teamsters will work with anyone who is willing to work with us to strengthen the labor movement," she said in response to the overall proposal.

AFL-CIO Illinois President Margaret Blackshere said the proposal represents "movement and recognition by the national that everybody wants to be part of the local and state federations and that this is where we get the work done."

"If everybody backs up the rhetoric that they want to belong, this is a vehicle that could be used," said Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon.

He said it represents thinking "out of the box to keep the labor community together."

Thursday morning, before the national AFL-CIO’s proposal was released, the Chicago federation held an emergency board meeting to discuss the impact of the disaffiliations. Gannon said the federation is in a holding pattern as it awaits the outcome of a planned September meeting of the AFL-CIO’s Executive Council on the disaffiliations. He said per capita dues payments that come in before that from disaffiliated unions will be put in an escrow account.

"At the end of the day, we have got to conform to what the national [AFL-CIO] would like us to do," he said of what action the Chicago federation plans to take going forward.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/cst-fin-labor12.html