Thursday, March 3, 2005 | 10:53 a.m.
In a vote that highlights a schism within the labor movement, the executive committee of the AFL-CIO on Wednesday rejected a sweeping proposal that would require the union federation to rebate 50 percent of membership dues back to member unions to use for organizing.
The 22-member AFL-CIO executive committee rejected the Teamsters Union proposal by a 15-7 vote during the labor umbrella organization's Winter Executive Council Meeting at Bally's Las Vegas.
The Teamster plan would have redirected as much as $47.5 million the AFL-CIO gets from member unions back to the unions.
The plan also includes other sweeping changes to make the AFL-CIO more efficient, such as streamlining the AFL-CIO's operations and merging unions.
The Teamsters are leading a group of five unions seeking major changes as union membership has declined to 12.5 percent of the American workforce in 2004 from 12.9 percent in 2003, according to the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The other unions involved are the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, UNITE HERE, parent of Las Vegas powerhouse Culinary Union Local 226, the Laborers Union and the Service Employees International Union.
Andrew Stern, president of the SEIU, has reportedly threatened to withdraw from the AFL-CIO if sweeping changes aren't made. However, during a news conference held by the dissident unions Stern denied that he planned to withdraw from the AFL-CIO. But he said there isn't another plan within the AFL-CIO that adequately addresses the need to "restore the strength of labor groups."
John Wilhelm, president of UNITE HERE, has reportedly planned to run against John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, in the organization's upcoming election. Wilhelm declined to say whether he plans to run for the position during the news conference.
UFCW President Joe Hansen said the proposal garnered votes by unions that make up 40 percent of the AFL-CIO's membership.
Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell said the dissident unions are confident that when the executive council votes on the proposal it will win because votes are counted based on the membership of each union, unlike the executive committee, which grants each union one vote.
The executive committee approved a separate proposal introduced by Sweeney that would place equal emphasis on the importance of politics and organizing by a 14-8 vote.
Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, declined to say how much funding Sweeney's plan will direct toward organizing and politics, saying the executive council hasn't been able to vote on it.
Both proposals must still be considered by a vote of the executive council.
The Teamsters' Caldwell said Sweeney's proposal would call for an additional $3 million to go in rebates to member unions for organizing, an amount he suggested was insufficient.
"The reality is this is a debate over the future of the AFL-CIO," Caldwell said. "This is about whether the AFL-CIO is going to cut its waste and become an efficient mechanism and efficient tool for working families; or is it going to remain bloated?"
It is unclear whether the entire executive council will vote on the two proposals before the end of the winter meeting or whether it will take place during the AFL- CIO's convention in July.
Trumka did say the proposal includes a rebate of the per capita membership dues and restructuring of the AFL-CIO.
"We agree there's an assault on wages, pensions and Social Security," Trumka said. "The debate was really how we can address that. It's been one of the most invigorating experiences that I've had."
Although Nevada has also seen losses in union membership, Wilhelm noted that his union's local affiliate, Culinary Union Local 226, has grown from 18,000 members in the late 1980's to 48,000 members.
He said the Culinary is a model for success in the labor movement.
"It'll be 60,000 members by the end of 2005," Wilhelm said.
Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor said the union will approach 60,000 members with the expected additions of more than 1,500 workers at the Aladdin, about 4,500 workers at Wynn Las Vegas and about 3,000 members of UNITE when the merger of UNITE HERE is finalized locally. "It has made the middle class lifestyle possible."
Currently the union is conducting a card check at Wynn Las Vegas, which will open in April, Taylor said.
He said if the dissident unions' proposal is approved it would mean an improved ability to organize by local unions.
"This means that hopefully we'll have a lot more unions seeing more money, (for) organizing in Las Vegas," Taylor said.
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