Newsline: January 2005
AFL-CIO Unions Call for Major Changes in Federation
Teamsters Offer Plan to Restructure U.S. Labor Movement
“We believe our restructuring proposals will allow us to build a more unified and more effective labor movement.” -- James P. Hoffa
 In an effort to stem the loss of union membership and strengthen the U.S. labor movement, the AFL-CIO has formed a new Committee of Change to study proposals, including one from the Teamsters Union, for restructuring the federation.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who will chair the committee, acknowledged that the labor movement needed new direction and asked affiliate union members to submit plans for rebuilding organized labor. “We have to be thickskinned to take a hard look at ourselves — what’s working and what’s
not working,” said Sweeney. “There’s no question we have to strengthen our organizing program.”
On the table for discussion when the AFL-CIO Executive Council meets in March are several proposals, including a controversial 10-point proposal
by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern, which demands a sweeping overhaul of the AFL-CIO, including a controversial plan to consolidate the federation through mergers, from some 60 unions down to about 20. Stern has said he would recommend that his 1.7 million-member union disaffiliate from the federation if major changes are not adopted when the Executive Council meets — a threat that has angered other leaders.
While agreeing that the 13 million-member AFL-CIO needed a major makeover, the Teamsters union has submitted a more moderate proposal that focuses on organizing to build membership, encouraging mergers of unions and paring down operations to cut costs.
Teamster General President James P. Hoffa described the Teamsters’ proposal as a plan for building labor unity and strength without tearing apart the federation. “Combined with other important proposals — such as focusing our political efforts on building a movement for national health care and a worker’s right to union representation, expanding our efforts in sectors and globally, developing stronger shop steward structures, and many others
— we believe our restructuring proposals will allow us to build a more unified and more effective labor movement,” Hoffa asserted.
The Teamsters proposal, which is contained in the discussion paper “Which Way for the AFL-CIO: The Teamster View,” was approved by the Teamsters General Executive Board last month. Specifically, the plan would:
Streamline the national AFL-CIO by eliminating those functions that are duplicated by the affiliates or which are more appropriately done by the affiliates.
Reduce the effective per capita tax by half for those unions which allocate a minimum of 10 percent of their national union dues revenue to organizing, and devote rebated resources to organizing in core industries.
Create incentives to accelerate the merger process in order to create economies of scale and free-up more resources for organizing.
Reform AFL-CIO jurisdictional dispute mechanisms to establish area standards in key industries and sectors to inhibit unions from growing
their unions by undercutting contract standards established by other unions.
Streamline AFL-CIO state and local field operations and structures by eliminating bureaucratic duplication of effort and resources between
central and state bodies and the national AFL-CIO.
Cut the size of the AFL-CIO Executive Committee and give it real governing authority so that the largest AFL-CIO affiliates, not the AFL-CIO leadership alone, are able to have a real impact on policy.
Develop a strategic political and organizing plan for “swing states” to increase union membership and political influence in order to produce a pro-labor White House and Congress in future elections.
In making a comparison with the more radical SEIU proposal, Local 237 President Carl Haynes called the Teamster plan “very well thought out.” He added: “The Teamster plan is structured in a way that provides for unity while bringing about a major change in the organizational mindset and the way the federation conducts business.” Haynes is a member of the Teamsters Executive Board.
Hoffa said: “We hope that these proposals will contribute to the process that will lead to a stronger labor movement as we head into the coming AFL-CIO Convention and we look forward to discussing them with our brothers and sisters throughout the movement in the weeks and months to come.”
The 1.4 million member Teamsters Union contributes more than $9 million in per capita taxes each year to the national AFL-CIO and its affiliated industry and sector departments.
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