AFL-CIO Actions Target Organizing, Politics

At the AFL-CIO executive council meeting, unions welcomed new affiliates, mapped out a political action plan for 2006 and approved the first industry coordinating committee, among other actions.

Some of the highlights:

• A new solidarity partnership with the National Education Association gives local NEA affiliates the opportunity to join the AFL-CIO and participate in the labor federation's community labor councils.
  
  This agreement brings together the nation's largest independent union, with 2.8 million members, and the AFL-CIO's 9 million members in 52 unions. The two groups have worked together in the past on issues like health care but now will actively work to strengthen public schools, communities and for critical public policy goals.
  
  
• Approval of the Nurses ICC, created by eight unions, including CWA. "RNs Working Together" will work for better patient care, improved conditions for working nurses and to focus attention on the broken health care system. The eight unions also plan to mobilize members around an impending legal decision that may strip nurses' right to organize. 
  
  
• Authorization to spend $40 million for member education and mobilization in the 2006 elections, focusing on union households in 21 states. The funds will not be used for campaign contributions but will provide information on lawmakers' records on key issues — including trade, pensions and health care. The AFL-CIO will work on 40 races in House, 15 in the Senate and eight governors' races.
  
  
• Reaffiliation of the 125,000 active and retired members of the United Transportation Union, representing railroad, bus and mass transit workers, and affiliation of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, which works among immigrant farm workers from Mexico and Latin America.
  
  
• Condemnation of Comcast Communications' attempt to strong arm the city and residents of Oakland, Calif., by refusing to sign a franchise renewal agreement because of the city council's requirement that city franchises follow "non-confrontational and expeditious procedures" by which workers can make a fair choice about union representation.
  
  At a media briefing, CWA President Larry Cohen outlined Comcast's record of harassment and illegal action in the Bay Area and nationwide. (Comcast earlier rejected an opportunity to show that it would abide by federal labor law when it refused the inclusion of any language to that effect in the franchise agreement.) After hearing testimony from many workers about Comcast's abusive labor practices, the city council decided to sponsor an ordinance that would protect the interests of the city and consumers while also seeking to reduce or eliminate workplace strife, Cohen said. "Now, the company is threatening Oakland citizens with the loss of cable stations and a network link for schools and government offices," he said.
  
  
• Rejection of the "guest worker" program, including H1-B visa programs, that the administration and some members in Congress support as creating an "undemocratic and two-tiered society." 

For the latest on the AFL-CIO council actions, go to www.aflcio.org/blog.