Twelve Union Presidents Hold 'Unity Meeting'

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Prodded by transition team officials for President-Elect Barack Obama, 12 union presidents held a “unity” meeting January 7 in Washington. They emerged pledging “broad participation” in the effort, but no specifics. In attendance at the session, called by former House Democratic Whip David Bonior, chair of American Rights at Work, were presidents of five of Change to Win’s seven unions, six of the 56 AFL-CIO unions, and new National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel. “The goal is to create a unified labor movement that can speak and act nationally on the critical issues facing working Americans,” the presidents said in a joint statement said, adding that “while we represent the largest unions, we recognize unity requires broad participation.” Attending the meeting, besides Bonior and Van Roekel, were AFL-CIO member union presidents Larry Cohen (Communications Workers), Leo Gerard (Steel Workers), Ron Gettelfinger (Auto Workers), Gerald McEntee (AFSCME), Ed Hill (IBEW) and Randi Weingarten (Teachers).  Change to Win presidents attending were Joe Hansen (United Food and Commercial Workers), James Hoffa (Teamsters), Terry O’Sullivan (Laborers), Bruce Raynor (UNITE HERE) and Andy Stern (Service Employees). The statement also said AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney and Change to Win Chair Anna Burger joined the session.
- Mark Gruenberg, PAI