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:: Thursday, December 09, 2004 ::

What’s Wrong with Both SEIU and CWA Plans For Revitalizing Labor Movement LaborTalk By Harry Kelber
Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), says he has a large part the answer. What is needed is to merge the AFL-CIO’s 61 international unions into no more than twenty, with each mega-union representing a specific sector of the national economy. These enlarged unions, with additional funding and resources, would be able to conduct winning campaigns against major corporations, even Wal-Mart, Stern says.

Stern’s restructuring plan, which has been given extensive coverage in the media, has very little support from most unions and rank-and-filers outside the SEIU. But even on the wild assumption that the plan would be approved by the Executive Council, what evidence is there that the forced merger of internationals would increase union membership or economic power? In fact, there is evidence to the contrary.

When the AFL and CIO merged in 1955, they had 104 international unions with a combined total of 16 million members. Today, 49 years later, AFL CIO’s 61 internationals represent about 13 million members. Despite those 43 mergers, organized labor suffered a net loss of three million members. How does Stern explain that?

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