AFL-CIO builds political war chest

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&ncid=703&e=5&u=/chitribts/20040311/ts_chicagotrib/aflciobuildspoliticalwarchest

The nation's labor leaders, thrilled to hear Democrats such as Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) echo their concerns about jobs and the economy, vowed Wednesday to stage an unprecedented effort in terms of manpower and money in this year's elections.


"America's unions are united for the biggest and earliest mobilization in labor's history," said John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, holding its annual winter meeting near Miami.


To boost its politicking, Sweeney said unions had agreed on a 4-cents-a-month increase on top of the 57 cents collected monthly from individual members.


With the dues increase, the AFL-CIO will have $44 million to draw on this year for turning out voters and for focusing on campaign-related issues, $3 million more than during the 2000 presidential election. The bulk of the money is expected to be spent supporting Kerry and the Democrats in their White House campaign.

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[Mattforclark]

1. Excellent

Thanks be to goodness for labor.

[MercutioATC]

2. Great to hear it. I belong to NATCA, an AFL-CIO affiliate

(National Air Traffic Controllers' Association). The administration is currently trying to bust our union. In 1995, they exempted us from most of Title 5, including Chapter 71 which grants federal workers the right to form unions and collectively bargain. In 1996, just before the FAA Reform was to take effect, Clinton restored the collective bargaining provisions.

Currently, however, Marion Blakey (the FAA Administrator) has used misinterpretations of our contract to attempt to make unilateral decisions and cut the union out of the negotiation process. Our contract has been extended until 2005, but the administration has made it clear that they're going to look for real change in the next negotiation (to the point of limiting NATCA's powers enough that it would be completely impotent).

I'm REALLY hoping that Bush is gone next January.

[GOPBasher]

3. Nice.