| Flashings
Seven unions leave AFL-CIO
The heads of seven major unions have announced their separation
from AFL-CIO and formation of a separate coalition, expressing
disappointment with AFL-CIO's labor movement. The new group, the
Change to Win Coalition, consists of the United Food and Commercial
Workers Union (UFCW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees
International Union (SEIU), Unite-Here, United Farm Workers and the
Carpenters. The coalition represents more than one-third of the 13
million union members of AFL-CIO.
At AFL-CIO's convention in Chicago July 25-28, UFCW, Teamsters,
Unite-Here and SEIU unions decided to boycott the convention. UFCW,
SEIU and Teamsters also have resigned their unions from AFL-CIO.
SEIU was AFL-CIO's largest union with 1.8 million members.
Unite-Here has been given approval to resign from AFL-CIO but has
not yet done so. The Laborers' president, Terry O'Sullivan, said
his union will not resign.
The coalition's anger stems from its disappointment with regard
to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney's leadership and inability to
revive organized labor. The dissidents emphasize the importance of
organizing and lack of effect political efforts have...
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