Alternative Visions - Will the AFL-CIO Restructure To Include Community Organizations? - 08/07/13

At the end of July, the president of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest union federation, Richard Trumka, announced that at its coming September convention the AFL-CIO Union Federation would decide on bringing community organizations into the Federation and allowing the organizations to become formal members of the federation, ‘with decision making power’ (quoted from Wall St. Journal, July 27-28, 2013)). Groups like the NAACP, La Raza, Sierra Club and others are reportedly now in negotiations with the AFL-CIO, a change of potentially significant impact (or maybe not!). Is something big about to happen in Union labor at the top? Or is it just a cover for closer cooperation to help Democrats get elected in 2014?  In today’s show, Dr. Rasmus interviews three long time union activists—in California, North Carolina, and Philadelphia—on the potential significance of the AFL-CIO’s coming convention and closer organizational ties with national community organizations.  Jack’s guests—Steve Early, Zachary Robinson, and Jim Moran—also report at length on what’s happening locally in their back yards in terms of growing labor-community actions on a number of fronts.”

Steve Early is a long time union activist, former representative for the CWA in New England area, a lawyer, journalist with publications in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous other periodicals, and book author. His recent books include “Embedded with Organized Labor”, “The Civil Wars of US Labor”, and most recent, “Save Our Unions”, published by Monthly Review Press. He is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet. Steve resides in Richmond, California, a hotbed of recent local community action.

Zachary Robinson is an officer in the AAUP in Greenville, North Carolina. A member of Pitt County Coalition Against Racism, and of the local Executive Board of the NAACP Pitt County chapter. Zach has been active in the noteworthy “Moral Mondays” grass roots movement and protests in North Carolina, opposing the draconian measures being introduced by its newly elected Republican Teaparty governor and Legislature.

Jim Moran is a long time union member of the Newspaper Guild, officer and activist in the Philadephia area. Jim has led the fight for job safety and health in the area for decades, and is a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Labor History Society. Jim is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet responsible for labor issues.