Submitted by Denver Area Labor Federation
WHEREAS, the mission of the central labor councils (CLCs) and area labor federations is to help improve the conditions of employment for union members and help build a just society by organizing, political action and working with compatible community-based organizations; and
WHEREAS, unity at the local and national level is critical to the mission of the CLCs and area labor federations to fight back against the unprecedented attacks on working people; and
WHEREAS, it is well-resourced labor councils and area federations that have had the most success in the labor movement at building united coalitions to win for workers at a local level; and
WHEREAS, these coalitions fundamentally broaden the base of advocates fighting for change to include all union members, people of color, faith-based institutions, immigrant communities and social justice organizations and do so in a way unique to both the labor movement and the nation; and
WHEREAS, it is this strategy of inclusive coalition building that has shown the most promise in achieving the goal of building power to directly combat a new generation of international corporate monoliths and their political allies; and
WHEREAS, this success is nascent, growing and has the potential to achieve critical mass; and
WHEREAS, we support the affiliation of all unions with the AFL-CIO;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention call on all partners to work together collectively now and in the future; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention commit to building regional power centers by: n Identifying key metropolitan areas in which to build leadership and expand capacity to improve political and organizing mobilizations; and
n Approving an allocation of resources to these metropolitan areas from the AFL-CIO sufficient to employ full-time political and mobilization coordinators; and n Authorizing labor councils and area federations to develop inclusive institutions incorporating all unions and their allies in order to best fight to build power for all working people. No local labor movement can be successful with exclusionary policies.