Unions Push Back Against Labor's Ties To Liberal Groups
From The Hill
Resistance is growing among some unions against the AFL-CIO’s push to strengthen its bonds with liberal groups outside of labor.
Union leaders told The Hill that they have questions on how the nation’s largest federation plans to include environmental and civil society organizations under the AFL-CIO banner. Labor has sometimes clashed with groups — even if the two factions both often align with Democrats — as unions have looked to defend their members’ interests.
Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), said he sees “great value” in labor finding different groups to align with politically. But the federation needs to stick to representing workers rather than become a social movement itself, according to the union chief.
“However, to say that we are going to grow this labor movement by some kind of formal partnership, membership, status, place in this federation, I am against. This is the American Federation of Labor. We are supposed to be representing workers and workers' interests,” Schaitberger said. “We are not going to be the American Federation of Progressive and Liberal Organizations.”
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From The Hill
Resistance is growing among some unions against the AFL-CIO’s push to strengthen its bonds with liberal groups outside of labor.
Union leaders told The Hill that they have questions on how the nation’s largest federation plans to include environmental and civil society organizations under the AFL-CIO banner. Labor has sometimes clashed with groups — even if the two factions both often align with Democrats — as unions have looked to defend their members’ interests.
Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), said he sees “great value” in labor finding different groups to align with politically. But the federation needs to stick to representing workers rather than become a social movement itself, according to the union chief.
“However, to say that we are going to grow this labor movement by some kind of formal partnership, membership, status, place in this federation, I am against. This is the American Federation of Labor. We are supposed to be representing workers and workers' interests,” Schaitberger said. “We are not going to be the American Federation of Progressive and Liberal Organizations.”
Read more in our daily News Update...