AFL-CIO prez threatens break with Democrats.

[redhotpoker]

good thing if words are backed by action;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/20/richard-trumka-democrats_n_864518.html

WASHINGTON -- AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka plans to issue yet another warning to Democrats on Friday, proclaiming that if lawmakers don't push hard enough to stem attacks on labor's interests, workers will abandon the party in the 2012 election.

The union leader, whose perch atop the 11-million-member federation makes him arguably the most powerful labor official in the country, is slated to speak at a National Press Club luncheon. In excerpts from his prepared remarks, obtained in advance by The Huffington Post, Trumka focuses his ire on the widening gulf between U.S. workers and the wealthy -- attaching particular blame to politicians who value ideology over morality.

"Budget proposals unveiled in Washington and state capitals across our country revealed a despicable canvas of cruelty," Trumka will say, according to his prepared remarks. "And not just meanness. Destructiveness. A willful desire to block the road to the future."

"America’s real deficit is a moral deficit -- where political choices come down to forcing foster children to wear hand-me-downs while cutting taxes for profitable corporations," the remarks continue. "Powerful political forces are seeking to silence working people -- to drive us out of the national conversation."

Trumka also says in the prepared remarks that party affiliation alone won't determine how the federation allocates its resources in 2012. If Republican lawmakers embrace parts of the AFL-CIO's agenda, the union federation will respond in kind. If Democrats abandon the union community's principles -- or if they fail to protest as those principles are attacked -- they can expect similar treatment.

We will spend the summer holding elected leaders in Congress as well as the states accountable on one measure: Are they improving or degrading life for working families?”
We are looking hard at how we work in the nation’s political arena. We have listened hard, and what workers want is an independent labor movement that builds the power of working people -- in the workplace and in political life … Our role is not to build the power of a political party or a candidate. It is to improve the lives of working families and strengthen our country.

It doesn’t matter if candidates and parties are controlling the wrecking ball or simply standing aside -- the outcome is the same either way. If leaders aren’t blocking the wrecking ball and advancing working families’ interests, working people will not support them. This is where our focus will be -- now, in 2012 and beyond.
The labor community -- the AFL-CIO especially -- has been taking steps towards greater independence from the Democratic Party as its disappointments with the Obama administration and congressional Democrats have mounted. The typical response from party insiders has been dismissive assumptions that labor has nowhere else to go.

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But 2012 is the first cycle since unions actively campaigned against then-incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. And clearly Trumka feels emboldened by that experience, despite Lincoln's primary win. The AFL-CIO has traditionally judged lawmakers by their votes on legislation; threatening them for simply "standing aside" during the process is a much more aggressive posture.

Trumka has already been hinting recently that labor would stop giving as much money to candidates or party committees in favor of bolstering its own political operation -- a proclamation of financial independence that has caught the attention of national Democrats.

"You'll see us giving less to party structure, and more to our own structure," he told Salon earlier this month. "It's actually going to be fun."

[Welshy]

It will be interesting to see who they turn to support, if they break with the democrats.

To be honest though as much as I hope this happens, i doubt it will happen anytime soon.

[Os Cangaceiros]

The AFL leadership going back to Gompers has always and will always engage in traitorous conduct in regards to the working class. I see no reason for optimism.

[28350]

ofc they wont do this but at least it's a sign they're under pressure from workers

[wunderbar]

Won't happen. Except for that brief flirtation with a Labor Party in '96, AFL-CIO will continue to be a monetary and political rubber stamp for the Democrats.

[Tablo]

About fucking time! I want to be optimistic about this, but I can't in any honesty believe there will be any change in the way corporate unions operate.

[RED DAVE]

Can't see it happening on a national level. Maybe in some local race where the Democrat is particularly odious, but even there ... . Especially, don't look for anything until after the 2012 election. This is just the normal bullshit and whining without any real threat.

RED DAVE

[Hoipolloi Cassidy]

ofc they wont do this but at least it's a sign they're under pressure from workers
Not pressure - when has that ever made a difference to them?

They want to get in front of a groundswell before it walks all over them.

[Communist]

This has been said before, but never happens. They run back to the Democrats as soon as an election looks like a real contest.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

One survey showed 80% of people would consider voting for a third-party in the U.S. But when it comes down to business and the election cycle is in full swing, "every thing is at stake."
That 80% soon becomes barely 2%. The same can be said for the unions. If anything, this is just a P.R. release to put some pressure on the democrats while the election is far from happening. The Democrats could commit genocide, and the worst that could happen is the unions dropping them and voting Republican (oh hey Teamsters in the 80s).

[Communist]

.

.AFL-CIO chief amplifies warning to Democrats (http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/165151-afl-cio-chief-amplifies-warning-to-democrats)

By Kevin Bogardus June 6 2011

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka amplified his call for a politically independent (http://weaselzippers.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/biden-trumka-550x383.jpg) labor movement Tuesday and said unions too often are holding "a canceled check" after Election Day.

Trumka rallied hundreds of nurses at a conference hosted by the National Nurses United. The nurses are in Washington this week to lobby lawmakers for a financial transactions tax that could help pay for social services.

Trumka said unions want “an independent labor movement” that doesn’t support just one political party or candidate. Labor has often been unhappy (http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow//files/2010/08/cr_mega_273_obama_trumka2.JPG)with its traditional allies in the Democratic Party, and Trumka said friends of unions in Congress have often paid little heed to workers’ needs.

“For too long, we have been left after Election Day holding a canceled check waving it about — ‘Remember us? Remember us? Remember us?’ — asking someone to pay a little attention to us. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a snootful of that s--t,” Trumka said to cheers.

The head of the nation’s largest labor federation said unions must be dedicated to helping workers, not politicians.

“See, our goal is not to help candidates or parties. Our goal is to improve the lives of working people and strengthen our country, and that’s exactly what we are going to do,” Trumka said.

Trumka also repeated his metaphor of “the wrecking ball” when warning Democrats, which he used last month during a speech at the National Press Club that distanced labor from the party.

“I have a message for some of our friends. See, it doesn’t matter if candidates and parties are controlling the wrecking ball or simply standing aside when it happens. The outcome is the same for us either way. If leaders are not blocking the wrecking ball and advancing the interests of working families across the country, working people will not support them,” Trumka said.

National Nurses United members from 31 different states are in Washington to gather support for their “Main Street Contract for the American People,” a nine-point plan that would tax financial transactions to help pay for a number of improved services, including a single-payer healthcare system.

Hundreds of nurses from the AFL-CIO affiliate protested outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. They also went to a rally on Capitol Hill to garner more support for legislation they favor, including a bill sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) that would ensure that minimum nurse-to-patient ratios are met.


http://weaselzippers.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/obama-trumka-new-550x366.jpg (http://exposethemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/president-obama-stands-behind-afl-cio-president-trumka-before-speaks-the-afl-cio-executive-council-meeting-washington1.jpg)

_____________



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[RED DAVE]

I'll believe it when I see it. Is it possible that, under pressure from the rank-and-file and with threats of further cuts, the labor bureaucracy will begin an independent movement? Yes, but they will be dragged into it kicking and screaming, do everything they can to weaken it, and they will split over the issue.

The fun may be beginning, but don't hold your breath.

RED DAVE

[Jose Gracchus]

Absolutely with Dave on this issue. I'll believe it when I see it. How long has the labor bureaucracy been objectively right-wing on class struggle, even overtly in their contribution to Cold War and neoliberal foreign policy. There was a Labor Party of the United States feint that went nowhere, and Duverger's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law) basically makes it impossible for a labor movement to remain politically independent if it takes an electoralist-reformist path, versus a class-strugglist one. The former binds you, hopelessly and always, to the Democratic Party. Maybe an analogue of European Social Democracy or Anglo Labor could've been wedged in as the major opposition party in the 10s-30s, but we're long past that period.

We're seeing the beginning of the death throes of the old class collaborationist business union structure set up throughout the First World.

[heyjoe]

They may well be forced into staying on top of the groundswell since Wisconsin or be buried by it. they finally see playing the two party political game is leading to the oblivion of labor in the US. With a democratic house, senate and presidency mainly by their efforts the AFL-CIO couldnt even get card check brought up for a vote. Its not just here though its world wide. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as imperfect as it was it was, it was still a potential perceived threat, the right wing, international finance and multi national corporations feel that they have absolutely nothing to fear from labor unions or workers. they feel that they now have a free hand and are openly,unapologetically, dragging us all back to the 1800's and that we have no where to turn.

[blake 3:17]

There's no indication of the AFL-CIO trying to do anything to build a third party -- their basic alternative options are abstentionism or to support Republican candidates. Not sure which is option is best or worst...

I do think it's healthy if unions or movement organizations show some disloyalty to Their Natural Party, keeps people on their toes, but in the current period is usually a significant shift to the right.

[chegitz guevara]

They do this every year before the election, then slink back.

[RED DAVE]

They do this every year before the election, then slink back.Sad but true. The dilemma is particularly sharp in Wisconsin where, once the recall petitions come through, the only opposition will be Democrats.

Unless ... .

RED DAVE

[Die Neue Zeit]

Is it possible that, under pressure from the rank-and-file and with threats of further cuts, the labor bureaucracy will begin an independent movement?


How long has the labor bureaucracy been objectively right-wing on class struggle, even overtly in their contribution to Cold War and neoliberal foreign policy. There was a Labor Party of the United States feint that went nowhere, and Duverger's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law) basically makes it impossible for a labor movement to remain politically independent if it takes an electoralist-reformist path, versus a class-strugglist one. The former binds you, hopelessly and always, to the Democratic Party. Maybe an analogue of European Social Democracy or Anglo Labor could've been wedged in as the major opposition party in the 10s-30s, but we're long past that period.

We're seeing the beginning of the death throes of the old class collaborationist business union structure set up throughout the First World.

If the Tea Party rank and file couldn't break away from the Republicans to form their own party, how can US tred-iunionizm / collective bargain-ism / business unionism form its own (mere) electoral machine?

[Geiseric]

I know i'm being hopeful, but if this happens I would be so happy. I know it probably won't, but if it does and the unions become useful and progressive again, screw college, I'm joining the electricians union after high school!

[Tablo]

The very most I can really hope for is the rise of a union supported third party that takes a more social democratic or democratic socialist stance. Even then US voters maintain the two part mentality and would still vote democrat as the lesser of two evils. Still, the idea of a third party makes me laugh. As if that could realistically happen.

[Geiseric]

There isn't enough momentum right now, in my belief for a 3rd party, a labor one, to go too far in american politics. American politics is a celebrity affair nowadays, as soon as Obama made friends with Kanye West and Matt Damon, he was guaranteed.
Same goes for JFK. Its all about images.

[Zav]

The AFL-CIO reminds me of the Bolsheviks...
The union betrayed the proletariat many times before. Why should we trust them now?
Also, Those eleven million workers would be much more effective in the IWW. That's something like 1/30th of the U.S. population, right? That 3.5% or so would allow an actual Leftist on the ballot.

[Tablo]

There isn't enough momentum right now, in my belief for a 3rd party, a labor one, to go too far in american politics. American politics is a celebrity affair nowadays, as soon as Obama made friends with Kanye West and Matt Damon, he was guaranteed.
Same goes for JFK. Its all about images.
As much as I hate to agree with this I do. Unfortuntely, a large portion of the American public seem to have some kind of celebrity mentality when it comes to politicians. I can see this largely in the way my family members react to controversies and such in the political world.

[Geiseric]

People think like Ayn Rand objectivists, and don't take things into a material consideration. Are things really getting better under Obama? Yeah! Change! That feeling is still present. No matter what happens we'll be in a cycle of Conservative being the balls of oppression, and a Liberal bearing the banner of change. This is just the tip of the iceberg kiddies, we're in for a wild ride.

[Rocky Rococo]

I expect that the AFL will remain trapped in the partisan-electoral politics paradigm, whether D, R or 3rd. But if the AFL-CIO were to take that $300-500 million they burn on electoral politics every cycle, and convert it to organizing and union economic action, that would have far far more social impact than any partisan-electoral strategy.

[Olentzero]

I'm not all that confident in Trumka, to be honest. He's running to catch up with the wave of militancy set off by events like Madison, but at the same time he's not offering a real way forward. Back in February when Madison was heating up he supported the recall efforts rather than further direct action, and he had no problems appearing alongside Dennis Kucinich when speaking to striking nurses in DC this March. And him saying he'd support Republicans if they supported parts of the unions' agenda? Come the hell on.

Independent unionism is going to come from below, and if we're lucky it'll push radical-sounding compromisers like Trumka either aside or into places they don't want to go but they have to. He's posturing now, and nothing more.