Major union sees fracture
First the news:
Jolting organized labor, the Teamsters and a massive service employees’ union decided Sunday to bolt the AFL-CIO, paving way for two other labor groups to sever ties in the movement’s biggest schism since the 1930s.
The four dissident unions, representing nearly one-third of the AFL-CIO’s 13 million members, announced they were boycotting the federation’s convention that begins Monday, a step that was widely considered to be a precursor to leaving the federation.
They are part of the Change to Win Coalition, a group of seven unions vowing to accomplish what the AFL-CIO has failed to do: Reverse the decades-long decline in union membership. But many union presidents, labor experts and Democratic Party leaders fear the split will weaken the movement politically and hurt unionized workers who need a united and powerful ally against business interests and global competition.
…Leaders of the dissident unions say the AFL-CIO leadership has failed to stop the steep decline in union membership. In addition to seeking the ouster of Sweeney, they have demanded more money for organizing, power to force mergers of smaller unions and other changes they say are key to adapting to vast changes in society and the economy.
…Globalization, automation and the transition from an industrial-based economy have forced hundreds of thousands of unionized workers out of jobs, weakening labor’s role in the workplace. (more…)
I think that the last paragraph above best summarizes the situation. With technology comes efficiency. With efficiency in the workplace comes decreased leverage for employees. Add the push for a true global marketplace and you have situation (like the current) where employers have a much greater incentive to employ workers outside of America.
You may recall not too long ago I talked about how the NAACP only does more harm to itself as an organization it they are to assume that those the claim to represent will always stay loyal to them simply out of tradition. With the ever-changing marketplace, unions have seen the effects of these changes in their membership. This is why many of them have resorted to mandatory dues like the NEA (National Teachers Association) to ensure their financial existence. The union movement of yesteryear proved itself to be a much needed ally for the American worker. Today, unions are nothing more than a purse for the Democratic party—funded by workers who could use that money to take care of their families.
Keep your eyes on this story as this is a very historical transition for labor movement.
