Daily Kos: New leadership for the AFL-CIO... (John Sweeney retires in another three months)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/6/739522/-New-leadership-for-the-AFL-CIO...

by balmerUSA
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Sat Jun 06, 2009 at 02:44:35 PM PDT

Who will be chosen to lead the AFL-CIO when John Sweeney retires in another three months?

Let's consider a candidate like the Machinsts' Tom Buffenbarger.

* balmerUSA's diary :: ::
*

There isn't much attention being paid to the question of who will become the next president of the AFL-CIO this fall, and that speaks volumes about the disarray of organized labor in the US right now.

Current President John Sweeney has announced his retirement, and it is up to the delegates to an AFL-CIO convention scheduled for September to choose his successor. By most accounts, the federation's number-two guy, Richard Trumka, is the leading candidate to succeed Sweeney.

But the relevance of that choice is questionable, given that the AFL-CIO is in negotiations with the competing labor federation Change to Win, and the National Education Association, for a three-way unification that could concentrate labor union resources in an uniquely powerful way. The secret negotiations are plagued with serious political and financial problems, but are apparently being actively encouraged (if not generated) by the Obama White House.

If a new labor powerhouse is established as a result of these negotiations, then the presidency of the AFL-CIO itself becomes irrelevant to the future of unions in the US. That would be a good thing, many pro-labor people argue, because a fresh start with a fresh president holds the best hope for real progress in the future.

A more realistic view is that the schisms within organized labor will not be papered over with a half-hearted attempt at the kind of unification desired by some of Obama's labor advsors. The divisions run deep and strong, and labor organizations are well known for the power and longevity of their grievances against one another.

FULL story at link.

[clear eye]

1. What has to be carefully watched

is that someone like Andy Stern, pres. of the SEIU, doesn't end up in charge of the new coalition.