We the undersigned State Federation, Central Labor Council and Area Labor Federation Leaders urge you to reverse your decision to ask your local unions to cease paying per caps to our state and local labor movements on May 1.
At stake are elections from defeating Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania and Mike DeWine in Ohio – to winning a pro-working family majority in the Congress, and turning back the Bush agenda. Also at stake are crucial governor and state legislative races that can mean the difference between a political climate that will help our movement grow or continuing to spend our energies and limited resources on defensive fights. In addition to the political opportunities, at stake is our ability to win real advances for workers in collective bargaining and organizing. In the CLCs and the State Federations we fight together, whether its janitor and hotel worker campaigns, or the fight for justice for autoworkers at Delphi or airline workers across the industry.
To achieve that unity at the local level, the AFL-CIO Executive Council developed the Solidarity Charter Program. To date more than 1,600 Solidarity Charters have been issued to locals of CtW unions. As CLC and State Federation leaders, we fought for this program, and urged AFL-CIO leaders to put aside the heat of the moment of the split in our movement to open our arms to CtW locals, even though our bodies had always in the past been limited to AFL-CIO affiliates.
We and CtW local union leaders have invested a great deal of time and energy reunifying at the local level because we all recognize that we need each other. From where we sit, with both feet in the battles in our local communities, the Solidarity Charter program has worked. The program re-unified the labor movement at the local level and is an achievement of which both the AFL-CIO and the CtW unions can be proud.
In the months since your national disaffiliation we’ve run regional training conferences for Central Labor Councils for more than 300 local leaders, conducted our Leadership Development Institute for another hundred CLC and State Fed leaders, developed improved media and communications training, and begun the Labor 2006 program to mobilize union members and their families to support working family candidates in this year’s elections. We have picketed Wal-Marts, fought for decent health care, and helped both CtW locals and AFL-CIO locals in organizing campaigns.
This work has been carried out despite the fact that the CtW national unions have not shared in the costs incurred by the national AFL-CIO in organizing, staffing and implementing these programs. We understand that there has still not been agreement at the national level to work out the mechanics of a unified political mobilization operation between the AFL-CIO and the CTW unions.
The dispute over whether the Solidarity Charter program will permit other Change to Win unions to be granted Charters should be part of the ongoing negotiations between Change to Win and the AFL-CIO, along with any other outstanding issues. But holding our State Feds and CLCs hostage financially will severely weaken state and local union movements at a critical time for working families.
At the local and state level, we have worked together, AFL-CIO and CtW locals, for years. We have walked each other’s picket lines, attended each other rallies, and walked the same neighborhoods for pro-worker political candidates. We go to the same churches and temples, our kids are in the same sports leagues and schools. We are friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
We urge you to renew discussions to build a unified labor movement while encouraging your locals to fully participate at the state and local levels through Solidarity Charters. This is the only way we can have the kind of unified coordinated and powerful voice for workers that our members and working families need this year.
Our request is simple. Let us continue to fight, together, for workers in our states, cities and towns, and to win the elections in November. Let us live. Don’t walk away.
In Solidarity,
Jeff Crosby, President, North Shore Labor Council
Mike McGrath, Secretary-Treasurer/Executive Director, Arizona AFLCIO
Steve Adams, President, Colorado AFL-CIO
Cindy Hall, President, Florida State AFL CIO
Bobby Haynes, President, Massachusetts AFLCIO
Margaret Blackshere, President, Illinois State Fed
Fred Mason, President, Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO
Mark Gaffney, President, Michigan State Fed
Christine Trujillo, President, New Mexico State Fed
Dave Newby, President, Wisconsin AFLCIO
James Andrews, President, North Carolina AFLCIO
Rick Bender, President, Washington State Labor Council
Charlie Flemming, President, Atlanta-North GA CLC
Jack McKay, President, Bangor Maine
Rich Rogers, Executive Secretary Treasurer, Greater Boston CLC
Dennis Gannon, President, Chicago Federation of Labor
John Ryan, Executive Secretary, Cleveland AFL-CIO
Sheila Cochran, Secretary-Treasurer, Milwaukee County Labor Council
David Freiboth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Martin Luther King Jr. CLC
Peggy Buchanan, President, Hartford (CT) CLC
Richard Shaw, President, Harris County AFL-CIO
Tim Riley, President, Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation
Ernie Grecco, President, Metropolitan Baltimore
Jos Williams, President, Metropolitan DC
William McCarthy, President, Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council, AFLCIO
Pat Emmert, President, Palm-Beach Treasure Coast
Shar Knutson, President, St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly
Ken Zeller, President, Indiana State AFL-CIO
Mark Smith, President, Iowa State Federation
Ray Waldron, President, Minnesota AFL-CIO
Hugh McVey, President, Missouri State Fed
Ken Mass, President, Nebraska AFL-CIO
David Kemnitz, President, North Dakota State Fed
Bill Burga, President, Ohio AFL-CIO
Paul Aylward, President, South Dakota State Fed
Robert Rajewski, President, Bay County Michigan CLC
Dorinda Miller, President, Champaign County IL AFLCIO
Wes Wells, President, Dayton CLC
Michael Shampine, President, Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly, AFL-CIO of Macon County
Earline Jones, Vice Pres, Greater St. Louis Labor Council
Larry Fauver, Exec. Vice President, Mah/Trumbell CLC
Rick Pfenning, President, Missouri Slope CLC
Alan Anderson, President, North Iowa Nine Labor Council
Robert Soutier, Secretary Treasurer, St. Louis CLC
Judy Pierce, President, Wichita Hutchinson Labor Federation
Lindol Atkins, Jr., President, Vermont State AFLCIO
Jack Shea, President & Chair, Southwestern Area Labor Federation/ Allegheny County Labor Council
Linda Dickey, President, Brooke-Hancock CLC (WV)
Margaret Costello, President, Chemung/Schuyler Labor Assembly State
Freeman Snyder, President, Five County United Labor Council
Cindy Rodrigues, President, Greater Southeastern Mass CLC
Carol Censki, Vice President, Hartford (CT) CLC
Jack Rudy, President, Jamestown NY CLC
Michael Maloney, President, Mercer County CLC
Paul Georges, President, Merrimack Valley CLC
John Cairns, President, Montgomery County Union Council
Daniel Dougherty, President, Oswega County Labor Council
Sterling Ball, President, Parkersburg Area Labor Council
Dona Lansing, President, Ploughkeepsie NY CLC
Kathy Manson, President, Plymouth/Bristol CLC
Jim Bertolone, President, Rochester and Genessee Valley Labor Federation
Burt Wartell, SecretaryTreasurer, Southern Maine Labor Council
Peter Kellman, President, Southern Maine Labor Council
Traven Leyshon, President, Washington-Orange Lamoille Labor Council
Blair Bertaccini, President, Western Connecticut CLC
Dick Boyd, President, York Adams County CLC
Judi Heh, Chair, Central PA Area Labor Federation
Dave Antle, Chair, Northeastern Area Labor Federation (PA)
Steve Sarno, Chair, Southeastern Area Labor Federation (PA)
D.S. Burkhalter, President, Alabama State AFLCIO
Alan Hughes, President, Arkansas AFL-CIO
Ricky Belk, Secretary-Treasurer, Arkansas AFL-CIO
Louis Reine, President, Louisiana AFL-CIO
Julie Cherry, Secretary Treasurer, Louisiana AFL-CIO
Robert Shaffer, President, Mississippi State Fed
MaryBe Mcmillan, Secretary Treasurer, North Carolina AFL-CIO
Donna DeWitt, President, South Carolina AFL-CIO
Jerry Lee, President, Tennessee State Fed
Jim Leaman, President, Virginia State Fed
Doris Crouse May, Secretary Treasurer, Virginia State Fed
Bob McNulty, President, Bluegrass CLC
Daniel Reynolds, President, Broward County CLC
Debra Booth, President, Central Florida AFLCIO
Nancy Hall, Vice President, Dallas CLC
Lee Medley, Galveston CLC, TX
George Hancock, Recording Secretary, Greater Tidewater Central
Tony Poole, President, Jackson CLC
J. Gordon Worley, President, Knoxville-Oakridge Area CLC
C. Michael Allen, President, Nashville and Middle TN CLC
Vonda McDaniel, Secretary, Nashville and Middle TN CLC
Andy Bell, President, North Florida Central Labor Council
James Cole, President, Northern Kentucky
Brett A. Hulme, President, Savannah Regional CLC
Karrie C. Wahenfelder, Tidelands CLC
Rick Dyer, Representative, Tri County CLC
Bruce Dotson, President, Upper East TN CLC
Floyd Suggs, President, West Central Florida Federation of Labor
Jim Sampson, President, Alaska State AFL-CIO
Randy Perreia, Hawaii State AFL-CIO
Dave Whaley, President, Idaho State AFL-CIO
Jim McGarvey, President, Montana State AFL-CIO
Michelle Guiterrez, Secretary-Treasurer, New Mexico State Fed
Dan Riviera, Executive Director, New Mexico State Fed
Emmett Sheppard, President, Texas AFLCIO
Becky Moeller, Secretary Treasurer, Texas AFLCIO
Jan L. Thomas, President, Central New Mexico Labor Council
Fernando Gapasin, President, Central Oregon Labor Council
Mike Phillips, Secretary Treasurer, Clark County CLC
Jim McCasland, Secretary Treasurer, Dallas CLC, AFLCIO
Gil Hayes, President, Mid-Columbia CLC
Robert Mahle, President, Montgomery County CLC, Texas
John Gaines, President, Northeastern Oklahoma CLC
Rich Houts, President, Northern Nevada CLC
Robin Gould, Northern New Mexico CLC
Patty Rose, Secretary Treasurer, Pierce County CLC
Linda Hatfield, Co Chair, Pima Area Labor Fed
Alicia M. Garza, President, San Antonio CLC
Lori Stalnaker, Exec. Secretary Treasurer, San Bernadino-Riverside CLC
Teresa Wilson, President, Southwest Montana CLC
Robert Westerman, President, Southwestern Oregon CLC
Marilyn Valenzuela, Exec.Sec-Treas, Tri Counties Central Labor Council
Alyson Steele, Adminstrative Specialist, Cincinnati AFL-CIO
Charles Mattson, President, Bergen County Central Trades and Labor Council
Pete Busacca, Hudson Central Labor Council
Gary Ostrander, President, Steuben/Livingston Central Labor Council
Harold Schladweiler, President, Washington County Wisconsin Central Labor Council
Jim DeHoff, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Kansas AFL-CIO
Al Henley, Secretary-Treasurer, Alabama AFL-CIO
Fred Frost, President, South Florida AFL-CIO
Duane Mellinger, President, Central Montana Central Labor Council
Rebekah Friend, President, Arizona AFL-CIO
Connie Beissel, President, Southern Dakota County Labor Council (MN)
Al Ybarra, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Orange County Central Labor Council
Louis J. Cernak, Jr., President, Northern Virginia Central Labor Council
Executive Board, Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council
David Freiboth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Martin Luther King Jr. CLC
Jack Rudy, President, Jamestown Central Labor Council
Doug Stock, President, Dunkirk Central Labor Council
Hobart Rhinehart, President, Cattaragus-Allegany Counties Central Labor
Anna Horton, President, Niagara-Orleans Labor Council
Mike Hoffert, President, Buffalo AFL-CIO Council
Cal Noyce, President, Central Utah Federation of Labor
John Kierce, President, Boise Central Trades and Labor Council
John Wagner, Executive Secretary Treasurer, Tri County Regional Labor Council CLC (OH)
Jimmy Horton, President, Deep East Texas Council of Labor
Jim Wark, Financial Secretary/Treasurer, Deep East Texas Council of Labor
Terry Moore, President, Omaha Federation of Labor
Danny L. Thompson, Executive Secretary Treasurer, Nevada AFL-CIO
Sam J. Munn, President, Galveston County CLC
