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AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will say Friday that workers want an “independent” labor movement designed to help the working class, not a specific party or candidate.
In a speech at the National Press Club, the head of the nation’s largest labor federation will say that unions intend to focus their 2012 political efforts not based on lawmakers’ party affiliation but rather their stance on issues near and dear to labor.
May 20, 2011
Trumka to Call for Independent Labor Movement
From The Hill:
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5 comments:
I sent them a comment mentioning the possibility of pushing for the use of multi-seated state legislative elections...
dlw
We'll see if Trumka is serious D.eris. I hope he is, we've long needed a labor movement here independent of the Democratic party.
Maybe it will turn out that this isn't just a rhetorical trick. If history is any guide . . . But really, there is no lack of worthy Independent, Green party, Socialist etc. candidates for office at all levels of government who are tireless advocates for working people.
It cd be a way to get more of Labor's demands with the Dem party. I reckon they won't support any outsiders in competitive elections, unless the Dem candidate has really pissed off labor and then they won't support the nonDem candidate that much, unless they got a lot going for them...
dlw
@D.eris
I hope it isn't a rhetorical trick, but there's a good chance it is, it's not like organized labor hasn't done this before, only to back peddle to their Dem masters with their tails between their legs. I also read somewhere (Maybe Alternet?) that labor is afraid of losing what little they have, that they won't seriously go ahead with any systems disruptions anyway (Whether supporting alternative parties, strikes, sit ins, etc. etc.) It might be a viscous cycle where they compromise themselves to their graves.
Then again, the PA Green candidate Hugh Giordano got a lot of union support (largely because he is a union organizer himself) and his union chapter seems to be maintaining that relationship, so perhaps it is possible, I do hope it is. Only time will tell.
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