NYT: Labor Calls for Unity After Years of Division

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/us/08labor.html?_r=1

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: January 7, 2009

The presidents of 12 of the nation’s largest labor unions called Wednesday for reuniting the American labor movement, which split apart three and a half years ago when seven unions left the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and formed a rival federation.

The union presidents issued their joint call after the transition team for President-elect Barack Obama signaled that it would prefer dealing with a united movement, rather than a fractured one that often had two competing voices.

David E. Bonior, a member of Mr. Obama’s economic transition team who withdrew from consideration as labor secretary, helped arrange and oversee a meeting of the union presidents on Wednesday in Washington.

The leaders are hoping, by April 15, to approve a plan to reunify, one union official said. But some officials said they might fail to reach agreement.

Mr. Bonior, a former House majority whip, said he would organize meetings with labor leaders over the next few weeks in the hope of hammering out details about what form a reunified labor federation would take.

The 12 union presidents issued a statement, saying: “The goal of the meeting is to create a unified labor movement that can speak and act nationally on the critical issues facing working Americans. While we represent the largest labor unions, we recognize that unity requires broad participation.”

FULL story at link.

[dcsmart]

1. Unity is the right direction!!!

Unified and militant and socially conscious and we will have strong movement. David Bonior was my Rep in Mich. He is the right person for this endeavor.!!!

:kick:

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R




http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/us/08labor.html?_r=2

[Earth Bound Misfit]

2. Interesting....

One somewhat surprising attendee was Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association, which, with 3.2 million members, is the nation’s largest labor union, but has traditionally remained outside any larger labor federations.


:kick: & R