Verso Not Your Father's Union Movement: Inside the AFL-CIO

A seismic shift occurred inside the US trade union movement in October 1994 when the 'New Voice' campaign swept a new leadership into the AFL-CIO, the federation of American unions. Led by John Sweeney, the campaign forced the first democratic election for top officers in the history of the organisation. The new team, including Sweeney as President, Rich Trumka as Secretary-Treasurer, and Linda Chavaz-Thompson as Executive Vice-President, came to power promising changes from within. With the new leadership came a virtually complete recasting of the federation designed to meet the needs of working families in a changing economy and rebuild the most critical link in fighting for a more progressive and egalitarian America. The US union movement is making news again--from political action to organising, from challenging corporate power to building links with workers in an international arena. Yet, even with increased press attention and more public awareness of today's unions, the inside story of the new AFL-CIO hasn't been told before. In these pages the new programme of the federation is presented for the first time by those directly involved with its implementation. Not Your Father's Union Movement is an indispensable guide for anyone who is a union member or who cares about social change. The book also provides a useful introduction to today's unions for students, teachers and others. Among the topics discussed are programmes around organising, political action, women, immigrant workers, global strategy and international worker solidarity, and changing the union's image. Case studies of how labour won the strike against UPS, and the legislative fights to increase the minimum wage and defeat Fast Track Trade Authority, are also included. Contributors: Jo-Ann Mort, Harold Meyerson, Richard Bensinger, Karen Nussbaum, Steve Rosenthal, Kelly Candaele, Jerry Hudson, Amy Dean, Hector Figueroa, Barbara Shaillor, Guy Molyneux, David Kusnet, Mark Baldwin, David Glenn, Matt Witt, Rand Wilson, Juan Gonzalez and Noel Beasley.