Another union defection likely for AFL-CIO - By William Glanz, The Washington Times
"You're getting to a point where there are two substantial labor federations. It's like 1935," said Paul Clark, professor of labor studies and industrial relations at Pennsylvania State University.
United Mine Workers President John L. Lewis led the defection of eight unions that year, and they formed the Congress of Industrial Organizations, which remained separate from the American Federation of Labor until 1955.
Unite Here will follow the other three unions to the Change to Win Coalition. The coalition includes the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Laborers International Union and United Farm Workers. While the carpenters union left the AFL-CIO in 2001, the laborers and farm workers are maintaining membership in both houses of labor.