US labor leaders set to unveil political strategy

[Omaha Steve]

US labor leaders set to unveil political strategy

Sunday February 26, 12:12 PM EST

By Peter Szekely

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the largest U.S. union federation are set this week to unveil plans to elect worker-friendly lawmakers, recruit nonunion workers and show their power, despite a split in the American labor movement.

The AFL-CIO's policy-setting executive council also plans to use its annual winter meeting in San Diego to welcome new unions, showing that the door to the 52-union federation swings both ways after five dissident unions walked out last year.

"We have to stay focused on working to build unity rather than letting people drift," said one executive council member.

Faced with a rival labor federation, employer attacks on workers' health and retirement benefits, stagnant union membership and an inhospitable political landscape, the pressure will be on the AFL-CIO leaders to show they can defend their members' working conditions, one labor expert said.

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