Using Our Power - A Detailed Strategy for Working America


	Introduction Fifty years ago, the merger of the AFL and the CIO was cause for optimism. The Machinist, our weekly newspaper, carried an editorial cartoon that captured that spirit. It consisted of a monument to the 16. 2 million members in Canada and the United States covered by the new federation. Each of the 143 national and international unions who were affiliated had their initials – IAM, UAW, BSEIU, ACWA, AFSCME, AFGE – inscribed on a massive number “1”. 1955 proved a year for pride and prescience. Walter Reuther, president of the UAW and the CIO, declared: “We will have greater numbers, greater resources, and greater power, but let us not be under the illusion that any success in the future will be determined by greater numbers, greater resources, and greater power. “Success,” Reuther said, “will be determined only by the manner in which we use these forces. There is nothing wrong when you are strong if the powers you have are used well, if they are used to fight social injustice.” Opposed to the Abuse of Power The question of labor’s power was hotly debated in the run up to the merger. The National Association of Manufacturers embarked on a fear-mongering campaign aimed at preventing the merger. IAM International President Al Hayes described their campaign as “unmitigated nonsense.” But what Hayes said next can be applied to today’s debate. His remarks to the California Conference of Machinists contained the following gems: “In the first place, the Labor Movement is not a highly centralized institution. It is made up of millions of men and women, organized into thousands of local unions, joined into hundreds of national and international unions. “And if anyone has the notion that some one man or some small group of men can push this loose agglomeration of men and organizations around, he doesn’t know the jealousy with which a local union regards its autonomy, or the value the individual member places upon his democratic rights. “Secondly, the Labor Movement historically and philosophically, is opposed to the abuse of power and the denial of individual rights. It has fought constantly against such things as sweat shops, child labor, company towns, unsafe and unhealthy work places – all of which were the consequences of the abuse of power by employers. “And it has fought for such things as public education, public libraries, universal suffrage, unemployment compensation, old age pensions – all of which resulted in greater opportunity and security, and a fuller life, for all Americans. “It is unthinkable that the men and women who have built their unions as a curb on the use of unrestrained power in one phase of their lives would permit those unions to become tools of unrestrained power in another. President Hayes concluded his remarks by saying, “Despite the mock fear of these seekers after unrestrained economic power, the Labor merger will succeed, and the whole country will benefit by it in the future, as the entire nation has gained by the activities of Organized Labor.” Al Hayes and Walter Reuther were right. It is all about the fight. The Fight Goes On America benefits greatly when the Labor Movement fights for social justice even as it fights against the seekers of unrestrained economic power. What we fight for – a fuller life for all Americans – and what we fight against – our employers and even our own government – defines us as a movement. The fights waged have been long, arduous and costly. And yet, when organized labor focused its membership, resources and energies on a clearly identified objective, it prevailed. It was how we “used these forces” that made all the difference … in the world we inhabit today. That world is far from perfect. No one knows that better than the members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Each day, they face abuses of power by their employers. And, just as they did fifty years ago, each day they face the unrestrained power of a federal government – its Supreme Court, Congress and Administration – that consistently acts in concert with their employers. So the fight goes on. And, for the moment, it goes badly. How We Can Best Use Our Power Here at the Machinists Union, we believe that the current fight for control of the AFL-CIO is a waste of time, energy and resources. That fight is couched in terms of reforms that emphasize “greater numbers,” the exact illusion that Walter Reuther warned us against. And, to us, it is risible that counting noses is to be the sole and supreme test of labor’s power. The Machinists’ view is that how we *use our power* is the acid test of the labor movement. And our power cannot be dismissed lightly. Three examples suffice to make our point: In the 2004 presidential election, nearly 28 million voters poured out of union households. Eighteen million of them voted for the Kerry-Edwards ticket and constituted one-third of 55.5 million votes cast by Democrats. During 2003, the AFL-CIO and its 63 affiliates disbursed over 6.7 BILLION dollars, reported total assets exceeding 5.7 BILLION dollars and collected 2.2 BILLION dollars in dues or per caps. Those numbers do not include the TRILLION dollars in pension funds and investments maintained for labor union members. Working America added 900,000 men and women to our power base in just four states – Ohio, Missouri, Florida and Washington – in less than a year. Incredibly, these community-based allies reported voting 68 to 30 percent for the Democratic ticket and would side with organized labor 56 percent of the time. The American Labor Movement may be a lot of things. But it is not politically impotent, financially bankrupt or lacking in allies. Its power base is considerable and the potential energy in that power base is incredible. But whether we use our power effectively is open to question Consequently, here at the Machinists, we have focused our discussion on how we can best use our power. Our discussions, held at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Training Center, spanned two days and involved our international officers and department directors with line responsibility for, and experience dealing with, the programs and policies of the AFL-CIO. These discussions produced a range of recommendations – some trivial, some technical, some tactical and some strategic. But all of our recommendations, regardless of their scope, are proffered in the spirit of solidarity. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka were present for, and participated in, those discussions for over four hours. We greatly appreciated their willingness to respond to tough, blunt and difficult questions. Their answers were not always what we wanted to hear but they did not duck a single question. Our recommendations were greatly aided by their information and insights. And yet, what follows is a distinctly Fighting Machinist product. It is as much a critique of what has been done recently as it is a strategy for doing far more in the immediate future. Back \| Home \| Part One \| Part Two \| Part Three \| Part Four \| Part Five \| Part Six \| Part Seven \| Conclusion \| Media \| Next

Introduction

Fifty years ago, the merger of the AFL and the CIO was cause for optimism. The Machinist, our weekly newspaper, carried an editorial cartoon that captured that spirit. It consisted of a monument to the 16. 2 million members in Canada and the United States covered by the new federation. Each of the 143 national and international unions who were affiliated had their initials – IAM, UAW, BSEIU, ACWA, AFSCME, AFGE – inscribed on a massive number “1”.

1955 proved a year for pride and prescience.

Walter Reuther, president of the UAW and the CIO, declared: “We will have greater numbers, greater resources, and greater power, but let us not be under the illusion that any success in the future will be determined by greater numbers, greater resources, and greater power.

“Success,” Reuther said, “will be determined only by the manner in which we use these forces. There is nothing wrong when you are strong if the powers you have are used well, if they are used to fight social injustice.”

Opposed to the Abuse of Power

The question of labor’s power was hotly debated in the run up to the merger. The National Association of Manufacturers embarked on a fear-mongering campaign aimed at preventing the merger. IAM International President Al Hayes described their campaign as “unmitigated nonsense.”

But what Hayes said next can be applied to today’s debate. His remarks to the California Conference of Machinists contained the following gems:

“In the first place, the Labor Movement is not a highly centralized institution. It is made up of millions of men and women, organized into thousands of local unions, joined into hundreds of national and international unions.

“And if anyone has the notion that some one man or some small group of men can push this loose agglomeration of men and organizations around, he doesn’t know the jealousy with which a local union regards its autonomy, or the value the individual member places upon his democratic rights.

“Secondly, the Labor Movement historically and philosophically, is opposed to the abuse of power and the denial of individual rights. It has fought constantly against such things as sweat shops, child labor, company towns, unsafe and unhealthy work places – all of which were the consequences of the abuse of power by employers.

“And it has fought for such things as public education, public libraries, universal suffrage, unemployment compensation, old age pensions – all of which resulted in greater opportunity and security, and a fuller life, for all Americans.

“It is unthinkable that the men and women who have built their unions as a curb on the use of unrestrained power in one phase of their lives would permit those unions to become tools of unrestrained power in another.

President Hayes concluded his remarks by saying, “Despite the mock fear of these seekers after unrestrained economic power, the Labor merger will succeed, and the whole country will benefit by it in the future, as the entire nation has gained by the activities of Organized Labor.”

Al Hayes and Walter Reuther were right. It is all about the fight.

The Fight Goes On

America benefits greatly when the Labor Movement fights for social justice even as it fights against the seekers of unrestrained economic power. What we fight for – a fuller life for all Americans – and what we fight against – our employers and even our own government – defines us as a movement.

The fights waged have been long, arduous and costly. And yet, when organized labor focused its membership, resources and energies on a clearly identified objective, it prevailed. It was how we “used these forces” that made all the difference … in the world we inhabit today.

That world is far from perfect. No one knows that better than the members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Each day, they face abuses of power by their employers. And, just as they did fifty years ago, each day they face the unrestrained power of a federal government – its Supreme Court, Congress and Administration – that consistently acts in concert with their employers.

So the fight goes on.

And, for the moment, it goes badly.

How We Can Best Use Our Power

Here at the Machinists Union, we believe that the current fight for control of the AFL-CIO is a waste of time, energy and resources. That fight is couched in terms of reforms that emphasize “greater numbers,” the exact illusion that Walter Reuther warned us against. And, to us, it is risible that counting noses is to be the sole and supreme test of labor’s power.

The Machinists’ view is that how we use our power is the acid test of the labor movement. And our power cannot be dismissed lightly. Three examples suffice to make our point:

In the 2004 presidential election, nearly 28 million voters poured out of union households. Eighteen million of them voted for the Kerry-Edwards ticket and constituted one-third of 55.5 million votes cast by Democrats.

During 2003, the AFL-CIO and its 63 affiliates disbursed over 6.7 BILLION dollars, reported total assets exceeding 5.7 BILLION dollars and collected 2.2 BILLION dollars in dues or per caps. Those numbers do not include the TRILLION dollars in pension funds and investments maintained for labor union members.

Working America added 900,000 men and women to our power base in just four states – Ohio, Missouri, Florida and Washington – in less than a year. Incredibly, these community-based allies reported voting 68 to 30 percent for the Democratic ticket and would side with organized labor 56 percent of the time.

The American Labor Movement may be a lot of things. But it is not politically impotent, financially bankrupt or lacking in allies. Its power base is considerable and the potential energy in that power base is incredible. But whether we use our power effectively is open to question

Consequently, here at the Machinists, we have focused our discussion on how we can best use our power. Our discussions, held at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Training Center, spanned two days and involved our international officers and department directors with line responsibility for, and experience dealing with, the programs and policies of the AFL-CIO. These discussions produced a range of recommendations – some trivial, some technical, some tactical and some strategic. But all of our recommendations, regardless of their scope, are proffered in the spirit of solidarity.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka were present for, and participated in, those discussions for over four hours. We greatly appreciated their willingness to respond to tough, blunt and difficult questions. Their answers were not always what we wanted to hear but they did not duck a single question. Our recommendations were greatly aided by their information and insights.

And yet, what follows is a distinctly Fighting Machinist product. It is as much a critique of what has been done recently as it is a strategy for doing far more in the immediate future.