AFL-CIO's Trumka Calls for Labor Movement Separate from Parties: 'I've Had a Snootful of This Shit!'

[kpete]

Published on Thursday, June 9, 2011 by The Nation
AFL-CIO's Trumka Calls for Labor Movement Separate from Parties: 'I've Had a Snootful of This Shit!'
by John Nichols


“We want an independent labor movement strong enough to return balance to our economy, fairness to our tax system, security to our families and moral and economic standing to our nation,” declared Trumka, who in recent months has been repositioning the AFL-CIO as a force that will hold Republicans and Democrats to what he describes as “a simple standard: “Are they helping or hurting working families?”

“We can’t simply build the power of any political party or any candidate. For too long we’ve been left after the election holding a canceled check and asking someone to pay attention to us. No more! No more!” the federation president, a former United Mineworkers union chief, shouted above the cheers of the nurses.

................

“For too long, we’ve been left after Election Day holding a canceled check, waving it about—‘Remember us? Remember us? Remember us?’—asking someone to pay a little attention to us,” recalled Trumka, who like many union leaders was frustrated with the failure of the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and other needed labor law reforms. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a snootful of that shit!”

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“When it comes to politics, we’re looking for real champions of working women and men. And I have a message for some of our “friends.” It doesn’t matter if candidates and parties are controlling the wrecking ball or simply standing aside—the outcome is the same either way,” he explained. “If leaders aren’t blocking the wrecking ball and advancing working families’ interests, working people will not support them. This is where our focus will be—now, in 2012 and beyond.”

the rest:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/06/09-1

[ewagner]

1. Whoa!

I think they're serious about this! And I hope they succeed.

[boston bean]

2. rock on, Trumka! nt

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I can back this idea.

[nichomachus]

4. The Democrats abandoned labor years ago

Except for going after their money and their votes

[socialist_n_TN]

5. Well we'll see what this REALLY means.....

Remember that the AFL-CIO is THE most conservative labor organization around. BTW for an answer read:

http://www.workerspower.net/genuine-independence-means-building-a-workers-party

[xchrom]

6. Recommend

[Greybnk48]

7. I think a lot of us are waiving cancelled checks and

shouting "remember me?" I think a lot of us have had a snoot full of this shit. I LOVE Obama, but I'm sick of being walked all over by the right and big business (to name two.) Good for Trumka, and probably about time this happened.

[socialist_n_TN]

9. The nurses have the right idea

It's time to get MILITANT about our demands.

[Bandit]

8. Solidarity.....

We need a third Party... The Labor Party... because Democrats are nothing but watered down Republicans in this era. I am 100% behind Trumpka on this issue..There needs to be equal back scratching..

[BOG PERSON]

10. this would have been a great idea like fifty years ago

[Shagbark Hickory]

11. I don't understand how he expects to sniff out with his snoot, what candidates are going to do what

they say they're going to do vs the ones that don't do what they said they were going to do.

[hifiguy]

12. Trumka definitely speaks for me on these issues

and for many others, I suspect.

[MisterP]

13. what, he's not satisfied with a succession of conservatives who're defended only

because The Enemy Party is attacking Their Man, producing similar results that have dragged the country rightwards since 1976? why does he hate content-free politics, and, by extension, America?