Disunity within the house of labor: Change to win or to stay the course? |
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Authors: | Samuel Estreicher |
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Institution: | (1) New York University School of Law, 10012 New York, NY |
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Abstract: | In September 2005, six unions representing 5.4 million workers held their founding convention as a new federation independent
of the AFL-CIO. Infelicitously named “Change to Win Federation” (CTWF), the new alliance has called for a rededication of
union resources and energies towards organizing the unorganized. Although CTWF has occasioned considerable interest and speculation
among labor supporters and observers, it is difficult to determine why the break occurred, other than, perhaps, the personal
agenda of some of its leaders. An unstated, significant reason may be a desire on the rebels’ part to operate relatively free
of “noraiding” strictures of the AFL-CIO, even though the group disclaims any interest in challenging existing bargaining
relationships and has penned “solidarity pacts” with some of its principal AFL-CIO competitors and with state and local units
of the federation. Competitive forces are missing in the market for workplace representation services. The new group may reignite
the rival unionism that spurred organized labor’s marked growth from 1935–1954, but early returns suggest an emphasis on militant
posturing and on trendy, implausible themes such as “global unionism” and “subcontracting out strikes.” |
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