Submitted by Connecticut AFL-CIO, Harris County Central Labor Council (Texas) and
Toledo Area Central Labor Council (Ohio)
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups have engaged in months of open dialogue, debate and discussion resulting in many agreements, some disagreements and much progress in thinking about the responsibilities all have as members and leaders of the American labor movement. Varied approaches have been and continue to be offered about the best way to restore the labor movement’s power and ability to fight and win for working families; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups are fundamentally faced with the reality that the labor movement and America’s working families are under attack as never before from a ruthlessly focused and well-financed corporate and right wing political agenda and have been for most of the past 24 years; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups understands workers are confronted with the crises of disappearing good jobs, stagnating or declining wages, inaccessible and unaffordable health care, the systematic dismantling of retirement security and the effective elimination of the fundamental freedom of workers to form unions resulting in an all-time low percentage of workers represented by a labor union; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups firmly believes that as a labor movement, and as local leaders, all have a duty and a responsibility to respond to the crises now being faced. The response must be to grow the labor movement and to use the power of that movement to change the political environment in favor of a working families agenda. No one can have any quarrel with these two related and mutually dependent goals. Time and experience have proven them both essential. All must commit to exert leadership and best efforts to accomplish this; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups, whatever the outcome of the debates and decisions made by our organizations about how best to achieve these goals, believes there is one bedrock and fundamental principle our movement must embrace: All must remain unified and in solidarity in one American labor movement, the AFL-CIO; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO, international and national unions and their affiliates, state federations and central labor bodies and support groups hereby call upon all the affiliates of the AFL-CIO to reject any attempt to break apart the federation and weaken its movement. Splitting the movement jeopardizes workers at the very time of the greatest need ever for a strong, united labor movement with an aggressive agenda on behalf of working families;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that all labor organizations are urged to reaffirm their commitment to a unified and stronger labor federation by fully affiliating every union with the AFL-CIO at the national, state and local levels. It is only by reaffirming and acting on the principles of unity and solidarity that the responsibilities as leaders of this great movement can be fulfilled; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Executive Board of the Connecticut AFL-CIO adopt this resolution and will forward a copy to the national and international union presidents of all the unions in the AFL-CIO.