WHEREAS, working people face every day an economy that doesn’t work for them: stagnant wages, cuts to health care, systematic discrimination and eroding public services are the norm for too many; and
WHEREAS, union membership and collective bargaining remains the most effective tool for working people to exercise their power on the job and in the public sphere; and
WHEREAS, the promise of winning power and rights on the job has dimmed as organizing becomes less frequent; and
WHEREAS, survey data demonstrate that a growing majority of working people have favorable opinions of the labor movement and, if afforded the opportunity, would want to be part of a union to negotiate for better pay, benefits and working conditions; and
WHEREAS, the unions of the AFL-CIO recognize the role the labor movement must play to assist working people to organize unions to improve working people’s income, benefits, working conditions and political participation;
WHEREAS, in all regions of the country, but especially in the South, working people are facing huge obstacles, like exploitative global capitalism, low wages and historical racism. More than ever they are in need of assistance from the labor movement; and
WHEREAS, making the promise of union membership real for more working people can only happen with concerted planning, activity and improved execution;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the AFL-CIO president be empowered to call a special meeting of the Executive Committee to devise a labor movementwide strategy for making the promise of collective bargaining real for every worker; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee be empowered to empanel a body of union presidents and organizing directors to refine those discussions into a substantive plan.