AFL-CIO to cut staff and programs as membership and revenues decrease

The AFL-CIO, the largest US union federation is cutting support for some programs and dismissing dozens of staff members. The restructuring move is being made as union membership declines and there are fresh threats to labor rights.

AFL-CIO spokesperson, Josh Goldstein refused to discuss the exact number of staff affected but said: “We will have to end support for some programs that don’t go to our core priorities. This is about reimagining and realigning our core priorities to best serve our affiliates.” The employees dismissed included both union members and managers. Reports indicate several dozen employees were dismissed. At their last filing the AFL-CIO had around 400 employees. Wikipedia says of the AFL-CIO:

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is a national trade union center and the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of fifty-six national and international unions,[3] together representing more than 12 million active and retired workers.[1] The AFL–CIO engages in substantial political spending and activism.[3]

As discussed in a recent Digital Journal article, after a series of successful moves against labor such as an increase in the number of states with right-to-work laws, the percentage of US workers in unions has dropped to 10.7 percent, the lowest level ever and less than half what it was in 1983. The revenue of unions is dropping and with the new Trump administration things could get even worse. Restructuring is expected to be a major topic of discussion when the AFL-CIO executive council meets next month in Texas. There have been disputes within the organization as to what priorities should be for the group. Some suggest promoting pro-union politicians and policies, others want to support unionization campaigns and contract bargaining.

This is not the first time the AFL-CIO has faced cutting staff. In 2005 the group reduced its staff by a 25 percent. The AFL-CIO has been in decline for some time. In 1995 the group's reserve fund was $61 million but by 2005 it was just about half that at $31 million.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) the second largest union in the US with about 2 million members, announced last December that it would be trimming its budget by 30 percent. The group has organized the "Fight for $15" movement. It represents a wide range of workers, including government and health care workers. It has an annual budget of about $300 million.

SEIU President Mary Henry wrote in an internal memo last December: “Because the far right will control all three branches of the federal government, we will face serious threats to the ability of working people to join together in unions. These threats require us to make tough decisions that allow us to resist these attacks and to fight forward despite dramatically reduced resources.”

Less than 11 percent of US work force belong to unions

In 2016 the US had the lowest percentage of workers in unions on record. The level could drop even lower as right-to-work laws are being pushed at state and federal levels.

Increasing numbers of states with "right-to-work" laws means that in such states workers are not required to join a union in companies with unions and are not required to pay fees to a union. The so-called "closed shop" is banned. Unions are faced with the loss of a great deal of revenue from workers who choose to not belong to the union.

At one time, the right-to-work laws were largely in the conservative south of the US but now even strongholds in the North and Midwest have seen states adopt the anti-union laws. In five years, six states have passed right-to-work laws after a gap of 47 years. University of California historian Nelson Lichtenstein said: “The South is clearly winning this particular civil war.”

Just since the last elections new Republican governors of Kentucky and Missouri have signed right-to-work laws, the 27th and 28th states to do so. If the Senate confirms Neil Gorsuch to replace Antonin Scalla's place on the Supreme Court the 5-4 conservative majority will be restored. Gorsuch's confirmation hearings are scheduled to start on March 20, 2017. They could last up to four days. Unions expected a defeat last year in the case of Friedrich versus California Teachers Association. The case brought by teachers and conservative groups argued that mandatory union fees violate government employee's constitutional rights. When Scalia died the court split on the issue 4 to 4. However, there are similar cases pending and Gorsuch probably being approved by the end of March, government unions may lose The loss would mean that in effect right-to-work laws would apply to about half of the 14.6 million US members of unions, those who work for the federal government.

Greg Junemann, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers said: “There’s not a doubt in my mind that the clock is ticking on that one.” Mary Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union said that her organization was preparing to become a "voluntary organization" and after Donald Trump won the election she sent a memo to staff announcing that the union would plan a 30 percent cut in its budget which comes almost entirely from dues and fees.

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), after surveying their 600,000 members found that under right-to-work laws, 35 percent would pay their dues as before. About half were thought to be "on the fence". The other 15 percent would not pay their dues. In right-to work states unionization is less than half that in other states. The right-to-work law not only takes away revenue from unions but divides workers as well.

The new right-to-work laws may have been a factor in Trump's narrow win over Clinton in some Midwestern States including Wisconsin and Michigan. Matt Patterson of the Center for Worker Freedom said in an e-mail: “Did the labor reforms enacted in Wisconsin and neighboring Michigan help Donald Trump win those states? No question in my mind. Hard to fight when your bazooka’s been replaced by a squirt gun.” Two teachers' unions one in Michigan and the other in Wisconsin experienced significant drops in membership after right-to-work laws were passed. In both states teachers' unions have lost thousands of dues-paying members. In Wisconsin the situation was exacerbated by changes Gov. Scott Walker made in the bargaining process. The Wisconsin Educational Association Council(WEAC) has lost about 60 percent of its members.In Wisconsin: Under Act 10, also known as the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill, most of Wisconsin’s government workers, including public school teachers, are now required to contribute more for their pension and health care benefits.Act 10 also limits collective bargaining to wage negotiations, requires annual union recertification, ends the automatic deduction of union dues, and allows for public sector employees to decide whether they want to join a union and pay dues.Wisconsin’s right-to-work law gives private sector employees the same right to decline union membership and payment of dues.Before Act 10 was passed WEAC had about 100,000 members whereas latest figures show its membership at 36,074.

Both Wisconsin and Michigan teachers' unions are affiliated with the National Education Association. Although NEA still about 3 million members, it has lost more than 300,000 members from affiliated state teachers' union during the period from 2010 to 2015 a decrease of roughly ten percent. Most political donations by the NEA have been to the Democratic Party.

Vinnie Vernuccio, of the Mackinac Center, a free-market Michigan think tank said: “The Michigan teachers’ unions, which have led the charge politically in the state, have been weakened in recent years and that certainly helped Trump. But don’t underestimate the union vote for Trump in key swing states. Exit polls show he did surprisingly well.” As in Wisconsin the Michigan Education Association(MEA) membership declined after right-to-work legislation was passed. When it passed in 2013, the MEA had 113,147 members but by 2016 this had dropped about twenty percent to 90,609. Whereas union leaders were able to mobilize workers to vote for Obama they were not able to do so to the same extent for Clinton. In Ohio, a key state, almost half of union members voted for Trump rather than Clinton.

As union density shrinks giant inflatable "Scabby the Rat" may be retired

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the percentage of US workers who are members of unions was just 11.3% in 2012, down from 11.8% in 2011.

The full set of statistics is available here. As has been the case for some time, the public sector is the most unionized section of the work force but even there, less than half the work force is unionized and the percentage is dropping as well, down from 37% IN 2011 to 35.9% in 2012.

As many traditional blue collar industries move overseas, younger workers are less likely to belong to a union. Union membership is highest among workers aged 55 to 64 at 14.9% while the lowest percentage of union membership is among ages 16 to 24 at just 4.2%

Union membership provides extra benefits for workers. In wages alone, organized workers earn on average 21% more than those not in companies with unions. Of course in some states now, workers in union-organized plants are able to benefit from the union activity and contract without belonging to the union or participating in the costs involved.

At present the percentage of private sector workers who are unionized is at a record low. In 1929, the year when statistics were first available, 12.4% of private workers were unionized. A mere 6.6% of private sector workers were organized in 2012, down from 6.9% in 2011.

Rather than using tradition as inspiration and attempting to instill some sense of solidarity with those who in the past helped many US workers to gain some measure of security and a reasonable standard of living, some in the AFL-CIO leadership want to break with the past.

Sean McGarvey head of the group's building trades department suggests that construction unions abandon their practice of exhibiting a huge inflatable rat at strikes and other events.

McGarvey tweeted this recommendation:

"Meeting with our Presidents and state councils. Issued a call to retire the inflatable rat. It does not reflect our new value proposition."

In spite of the fact that "scab" is a derogatory term for temporary workers hired during a strike to help break the strike, "Scabby the Rat" has become a symbol of union pride at demonstrations. According to Big Sky Balloons and Searchlights, who is the exclusive maker of the balloons, they were originally made for Chicago unions but have spread throughout the nation.

After McGarvey's tweet there were immediately hostile responses. Carpenters Union Local 157 member, Gregory Butler wrote on Facebook

:“As usual, nobody bothered to ask the membership what we think about that! I've been a shop steward for 15 years and I just found out about this decision from you! Sorry, but that's that bullshit.”

Big Sky's website boasts:

“Our rats have been seen from the front page of the Wall Street Journal to the New Yorker.They have been in hundreds of newspaper articles and even appeared on several T.V. shows such as the Sopranos.”

In 2011 the National Labor Relations Board had to issue a ruling as to whether the giant rats were picket signs, since picket signs are prohibited at certain work-sites. The NLRB ruled that the rat balloons were exempt from the law since they "constituted symbolic speech".

The giant rats are not that cheap. They range in price from $2,000 to $8,000; Union groups who have bought them will not want to retire them until they get a good return on their investment. Cindy Harrity, a union organizer for CWA Local 1298 in Hamden Connecticut said her union saved for years to buy their rat:

“I worked really hard to get that rat. We love our ratI. It gets workers really enthusiastic at rallies.”

Harrity tweeted back at McGarvey as to why Scabby should be put out to pasture.

MacGarvey replied:

“The rat symbolizes intimidation tactics of 30 years ago. We want to engage owners re: our value proposition not threaten them.”

McGarvey and many other construction union leaders want to take a business-friendly approach rather than an adversarial approach to their relationship with management.

The construction unions' council website says:

“We will prove to contractors and owners that a partnership with North America’s Building Trades Unions is the best investment they will ever make.”

Union leaders point out that union projects are more likely than non-union contracts to be finished on time and without cost overruns according to union leaders.

Notice that those who are opposed to unions do not take this positive position but are working hard and quite effectively at limiting union and working-class power in every way possible They try to use negative propaganda about unions at every turn.

The rank and file of unions may not put up with this new "be nice" campaign. Construction worker Gregory Butler said:

“I've been in this union for 20 years.I got in when ’the men with the broken noses‘ ran it, so I know a little bit about intimidation. The rat was a symbol of the end of the era of the wiseguys and their-side deals with rat contractors. As for that ‘engage owners re: our value proposition’ Mark Breslin bullshit, I'm sorry, but the owners know they can get people to do our $ 46/hr jobs for $7. All the ’value proposition’ in the world isn't going to change that fact.”

The US union movement chose the route of Gompers' that led to "business unionism", rather than confrontation with capital. .Labor historian Melvyn Dubofsky writes:

"By 1896 Gompers and the AFL were moving to make their peace with Capitalism and the American system. Although the AFL had once preached the inevitability of class conflict and the need to abolish 'wage slavery', it slowly and almost imperceptibly began to proclaim the virtues of class harmony and the possibilities of a more benevolent Capitalism."[

When US capitalism was thriving in the Golden Age, after the second World War, union membership grew and peaked but ever since it has been in decline as globalization weakens the power of unions to bargain for better wages or working conditions. Now advanced capitalist countries are imposing austerity measures that will not only make unions weaker but also cut the safety net and savage any entitlements that workers in general were able to gain through the power of democracy.

Democracy itself is now a system run to a considerable degree by money much of it in the interests of capital. Any union movement which thinks that it can win concessions out of such a system by being nice is bound to decline in power even further and lose even more members. US unions are adopting the same viewpoint of many other businesses. Their problems will be solved by rebranding.!

AFL-CIO chief on Walker victory spin and silver linings

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka at a press conference crows that Walker's 50 million expenditures did not sway union voters. He also points out the one positive outcome for labor that the Republicans lost control of the State Senate. However, his point about union members not being swayed is certainly a positive spin on dismal statistics.

Trumka notes that Walker outspent the Barrett forces by seven to one. He also remarks that an election night poll showed that union members overall supported the recall by 75 per cent to 25 per cent. However exit polls showed the split was 70 to 30 per cent. Even if you take the Trumka statistic it seems hardly a victory that one quarter of one's own supporters support ones opponent!

But Walker leaves out another important figure from exit polls. The breakdown in exit polls for other members of union households was about 50 to 50. This shows that Barret was not that popular even among people that one would think would be strong supporters.

As well as the wealth of Koch and others a factor in the defeat of Barrett is simply the unpopularity of unions. Also many simply felt that Walker should only have been recalled as a result of some serious misdemeanor. However attacking workers rights and benefits is seen as simply fair enough by many who envy the position of union members and see themselves as beleaguered taxpayers. They are not fazed by reducing the deficit by attacks on fellow workers. That is the American way it seems. For more see this article.

Another factor that Trumka does not mention is that Obama did not campaign for Barrett nor did the Democratic National office provide needed extra funds. As Trumka mentions Walker got plenty of high profile outside help but there seems to have been no equal parallel effort from the Democratic side.

31,000 March on Wall Street...

I have not seen much coverage of this action. If the Tea Party had marched on Wall Street you would have seen wall to wall coverage on Fox News! This is from the aflcio blog.

31,000 Deliver Message to Wall Street: Fix The Mess You Made

by James Parks,








Some 15,000 union members and other progressives on the ground and another 16,000 virtual marchers got Main Street’s message to Wall Street today: Good Jobs Now! Wall Street Must Pay! Marchers in New York carried the names of virtual marchers on stickers as they marched toward the statue of the Wall Street bull.

Led by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, union members and activists from National People’s Action (NPA), NAACP, Move On and others took over Wall Street during the afternoon rush hour for a march and rally. When the marchers got to Wall Street, there were so many that they filled up two streets.

At the rally, Trumka told the cheering crowd:

We’re here today for the folks who were played for suckers in the casino economy and will be silent no more. And the message we bring is this: Wall Street, fix the mess you made.

America lost 8.5 million jobs because of the financial crisis created by Wall Street, Trumka said, and now is 11 million jobs in the hole.

We need to go back to basics, where good jobs, not bad debts, drive our growth. An economy where Wall Street is the servant, and not the master of Main Street.

Workers in the public sector and education talked about how deep budget cuts are strangling schools and public services.

NAACP President Benjamin Jealous told the massive crowd that this is the time to take back America from the Big Banks. He said while money can buy votes, money can’t vote and all the newly registered voters in the 2008 election will make a difference in 2010.

Trumka laid out three simple steps the Big Banks can take to start paying back for the damage caused by their risky actions

Stop fighting Wall Street reform. Stop acting like what happened to our economy was some kind of accident, like a meteor fell on us. Take some responsibility for what you did. Call off the lobbyists.
Second-Stop speculating and start lending. We bailed you out, it’s far past time you started lending to Main Street.
Third-Take responsibility for the clean-up of the mess you made. Pay your fair share of the cost of creating the jobs you destroyed.
During the rally and march, hundreds of participants joined a text messaging action and called Goldman Sachs, telling the Wall Street giant to stop opposing meaningful financial reform. In addition to the mass of people taking part, hundreds watched the event in a live webcast (see clips at www.aflcio.org/wallstreet) and commented live throughout the march and rally, many showing the deep hunger across the country for action to create jobs and restore our economy.

Some of the comments included:Kevin Hansel/IN: WALLSTREET- IT’S OUR MONEY AND WE NEED IT NOW!!!!!

Rita: After living through a lay-off lasting 11 months, I’m working 3 part time jobs for less pay! Stop the destruction of the working class! Solidarity Now!!!

Donna:TRUMKA CAN LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE! GOD BLESS HIM!

Liz: TAKE THIS MARCH NATIONWIDE!!!!!!!

CWA 7019: Shame on you Wall Street!

Today’s march and rally followed a week of actions spearheaded by unions and the community affiliate Working America at shareholder meetings across the country.

AFL-CIO: Free elections not possible now in Honduras

Of course this release by the AFL-CIO will get little publicity unless Glenn Beck decides it shows the AFL-CIO is supporting Chavez and communism or something! The stance of the USA at present is to preserve a deafening silence as more pressing issues occupy the public consciousness. However, it seems that the US will recognise the electoral results whether Zelaya is reinstated or not and in spite of repression. In fact one can be put in jail for recommending that the election be boycotted. The indpendent candidate has already withdrawn and some groups are boycotting the vote.

Trumka: Free Elections Not Possible Now in Honduras

by James Parks, Nov 16, 2009

The continued repression of trade unionists by the regime set up in Honduras after a June 28 coup makes it impossible to hold free and fair elections, says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a Nov. 13 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Trumka points out that delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention in September passed a resolution calling on the U.S. government to suspend military aid to Honduras until President Manuel Zelaya, the democratically elected leader, is returned to office and human and trade union rights have been restored.

Click here to read the convention resolution on Honduras and here to read Trumka’s letter.

With an illegitimate government in power, scheduled elections later this month cannot be fair, free and open, Trumka says.


The violent and coercive repression of political opposition to the de facto coup regime, including trade unionists, has continued. At least 12 trade unionists have died in the violence since June 28. National and international human rights organizations report ongoing human rights violations committed by state security forces, including killings, severe beatings, sexual violence, the imprisonment and torture of activists, as well as the arrest and detention of President Zelaya’s supporters.

Trumka calls on Clinton and the U.S. government to oppose national elections in Honduras unless Zelaya is reinstated and to implement the recommendations in the AFL-CIO resolution.