Why Sweeney Should Resign As President of the AFL-CIO - The second of three articles By Harry Kelber
Q: When you first became AFL-CIO president, you used the slogan, “America Needs a Raise.” Do you have any such slogan to spur a national movement for worker rights?
Sweeney: We haven’t set on a particular slogan, but we’re working on it. Our Voice@Work staff is conducting an effective educational campaign. We’re strengthening our ties with religious groups, minorities, environmentalists and communities across the nation.
Comment: “America Needs a Raise” was a silly slogan, which Sweeney parlayed into a book (written by his staff). Working families saw no determined AFL-CIO effort to make it a reality. The only ones who took the slogan seriously were the top corporate executives, who added millions to their inflated earnings. So Sweeney and his staff are hoping to come up with an inspiring slogan, as though that’s what needed to revitalize the labor movement.