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- Labor: Changing to Win?
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- Dick Meister
This commentary notes that the U.S. labor movement, split in 2005 into two sometimes hostile factions -- the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Federation -- is in effect coming together for campaigns aimed at recruiting thousands of new union members and adding substantially to labor's already significant political strength. The two federations, which had differed mainly on whether to place their major emphasis on political action or on organizing new members, are now putting heavy emphasis on both politics and organizing, with plans to spend millions of dollars and extraordinary effort on recruting new members and helping put labor-friendly Democrats in control of Congress and the White House.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
This commentary notes that the U.S. labor movement, split in 2005 into two sometimes hostile factions -- the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Federation -- is in effect coming together for campaigns aimed at recruiting thousands of new union members and adding substantially to labor's already significant political strength. The two federations, which had differed mainly on whether to place their major emphasis on political action or on organizing new members, are now putting heavy emphasis on both politics and organizing, with plans to spend millions of dollars and extraordinary effort on recruting new members and helping put labor-friendly Democrats in control of Congress and the White House.
Broadcast History
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Transcript
The American labor movement ? split into factions two years ago ?is coming back together to wage campaigns aimed at recruiting thousands of new union members and greatly adding to labor?s growing political clout.
Although the seven unions that left the AFL-CIO in 2005 to form their own ?Change to Win? federation remain outside the larger federation, they are pursuing the same goals as AFL-CIO affiliates .. . in some cases jointly with them.
The AFL-CIO and the seven affiliates that left had argued heatedly over whether to put their major emphasis on organizing new members or on political activities.
Put your biggest efforts into politics, said the AFL-CIO ? noting that unions could not grow until the election of labor-friendly politicians to reform the labor laws.
No, stress organizing, said the breakaway unions. That would give unions higher membership numbers that woul...
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Timing and Cues
INTRO: Commentator Dick Meister says organized labor has a new game plan ...
OUTRO: Dick Meister is a veteran labor journalist.
