Afl-cio

Bob Owens

Veteran
Sep 9, 2002
14,274
6,112
As I read and hear AFL-CIO supporters knocking AMFA and claiming that they have been defeated I have to ask myself "Are these people for real?"

Often these people will claim if the mechanics at NWA were AFL-CIO affiliated that things would be different.

How so? If they were AFL-CIO then 2000 mechanics would be still working at NWA, but at scab rates, still paying dues.

NWA would be up to their full compliment of workers and would have achieved exactly what they wanted.

They would have for all intensive purposes busted the union but leaving the dues collecting institution in place simply as a barrier to make it more difficult for their workers to reorganize under a real union, in other words similar to the TWU/AA situation. Are these the benifits of being in the AFL-CIO? Being able to pay dues while having none of the things that unions are supposed to provide?

The fact is that the AFL-CIO is nothing more than a lobbyist. They have no power. They are the most cowardly labor organization in the world. Compare them to the leaders of unions anywhere in the world and you will find that the AFL-CIO should have "inc" or "llc" or "LTD" after it. Its a business, pure and simple, and it sells a myth.

The myth is that it gives workers more clout. Nobody, except for maybe a few gullible workers believe in it, the same ones that still believe in Santa Claus no doubt. Business leaders and most politicians dont believe in it anymore, and why should they? Over the last twenty years they have failed workers every single time there was a major conflict between labor and management.

Patco was AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO did nothing to prevent their demise.

UFCW, the Union at Hormel was AFL-CIO. Once again where was the AFL-CIO?

UAW at Phelps Dodge, once again where was the AFL-CIO?

IBT, Overnight Trucking-AFL-CIO at the time--?????

How about the ILA? The grocery store workers on the west coast etc, etc? As workers suffer the AFL-CIO pontificates, issuing slogans but no call for real action.

Why wont they deliver what they claim they can?

Is it because they have no confidence in the members?

Are they are afraid that nobody will respond? Thats pretty much what they tell lower ranking union officials who are willing to fight. Its a lot easier to just sit back, collect their six figure salaries and blame all the ills of the labor movement on the members instead of the leaders.


Or are they more afraid of how major labor disruptions would affect their investments?

The hypocrisy of the leaders of the labor movement is sickening. As a reflex they admonish, but not too harshly, corporate leaders who blame their workers for the problems of the company, however they are quick to use the same tactic by blaming the members for the ills of the union.

The fact is that the Teamsters and the SEIU made the right move in leaving the AFL-CIO. Hopefully more unions will follow. Nearly a third of the membership of the AFL-CIO has abandoned ship. There is a reason why.

Right now there is a contest going on at NWA. I have no doubt that corporate leaders would much rather deal with AFL-CIO unions than independant unions, because AFL-CIO unions have proven to be willing to give companies whatever they want. Some more so than others while Independant unions tend to be more Democratic therefore more accountable to their members.

So NWA FAs have many choices.

Stay with their Independent PFAA.

Go to the AFA.

Go to the TWU.

The AFA and TWU offer AFL-CIO affiliation. Ok, but ask yourself what good did it do Patco, Hormel Workers, ILa Workers, Supermarket workers in California or even all the other workers in the airline industry that lost so much?

The fact is AFL-CIO affiliation did nothing for any of us.

Other than AFL-CIO affiliation what does the TWU have to offer you? NOTHING!!!

The TWU is a small union that represents anyone that they can convince to pay dues to them. The average Local has less than 1000 members. Despite the claim of autonomy the International dictates to the Locals. A review of the many many lawsuits brought by members and local officers against the TWU International proves this, despite whatever Thom McDaniel claims.

I would speculate that the TWU has probably had more lawsuits brought against it by its own members per capita than any other union in history. When you sue the TWU thats about the only time you will see AFL-CIO affiliation in action.

When Chuck Schalk and I took the TWU to court after our removal, our lawyer who had a favorable deal with an AFL-CIO affiated union representing musicians in NYC was threatened that if he pursued our lawsuit that he would be thrown out and blacklisted from representing any AFL-CIO union.

That little incident reflects what the AFL-CIO really is, its a union that protects union leaders from their own members by supporting laws that diminish members rights.

While AFA also offers AFL-CIO affiliation I would not give that arguement much weight. What does give the AFA choice real meaning is the fact that they are a union where its sole mission is to represent flight attendants. They represent more flight attendants than any other union and its top leaders are all from the ranks of flight attendants. If you go to the TWU, Jim Little, an ex baggage worker, who spent more years in management than throwing bags, who was apppointed to his position as head of the ATD by a Bus Driver from the MTA in NYC will be in charge of your livelyhood.

From an outsiders point of view, I would say that what Flight Attendants need is to try and get all flight attendants on the same page in the same union. A union that is clear and focused in its mission, not a union that sees you guys as just another source of dues. If you are determined to leave the PFAA then the only logical choice is the AFA. You want to try and create Flight Attendant Solidarity, not see your profession disbursed into catch all unions that just want another source of dues.
 
Bob you left out all those jobs saved at Zebco in Tulsa that the mighty TWU allowed to be outsourced to China :down:
 
The state AFL-CIO isn't too bad here, but this is one of the few areas left in the country where that claim can be made. It think it's a bigger problem that our government has completly failed in the last 30 years to maintain some equilibrium between labor and management. They will undoubtedly pull out the pledge of allegience thing or another "threat" the next election cycle to keep the few people who vote confused. Ironically, if the AFL-CIO kept the money "donated" to politics they probablly could have bought Northwest by now. I have become disillusioned by both parties, but I don't believe AA will go bankrupt, they have been cash positive for 2 years now and even the "anaylst's" are saying we'll be in the black next year. But even if worse comes to worse, the mechanics are in the unique position of being marketable outside this business. Life will go on.
 
The AFL-CIO affiliation has done little for the unionized force as of late. When ‘Unions’ allow no strike and ‘must cross’ language in their contracts, they have negated the principles of unionism. AFL-CIO affiliation for unionized workers has been more of a detriment to the labor movement than an attribute. When a unionized workforce is allowed ( and in this case encouraged) to cross a unionized picket line, then the ideology of unionism is null and void. Watching the ‘so called’ AFL-CIO union’s walk across each others picket lines (IAM/ALPA) with much indifference, I can see how we are where we are today. The ‘business’ acumen of the ‘so-called’ labor leaders has corrupted their promises, integrity and goals.

There are some ‘new’ coalitions being discussed to replace the defunct and corrupt afl-cio.

-BigE
 
Bob, It is apparent that you guys know that the majority of the unions are useless, yet you support them and bash them at the same time. Why don't you guys get rid of them all together and start over? AMFA was supposedly the most democratic union out there and we all see where that ended up. If AMFA was the best you guys have to offer your beliefs in unions are more like dreams that will never come true. From what I have seen there isn't a single union out there that is accountable for anything and certainly not the members.