Local & State Bodies Push Action Plan

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

“We are the front line of defense for workers in the legislative arena, supporting new organizing campaigns, and in contract fights (but) State and central bodies cannot hold local unions to a standard or a plan if the sponsoring international union will not do so,” argues a new plan developed last week by dozens of Central Labor Council, State Federation and national leaders gathered at the National Labor College in Silver Spring. “We need strong and vibrant locals to make a strong and vibrant movement. This can only happen if national unions have a program to grow and strengthen their local unions. A changed structure can enable us to help our national affiliates move our members and locals to where they need to go.” The February 17 report advocates “a national plan that targets resources in the field, closest to workers” and spells out proposed structures to realize this plan, which has been submitted to the AFL-CIO’s Executive Committee’s McElroy Committee and posted on the AFL-CIO’s website.