Organized labor holding its own convention instead of attend Democratic Convention

I’d rather go to this than to the Democratic National Convention in August.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Thursday that his union will not be at the Democratic convention, “do[es] not intend to put any money into the convention” and will be hosting its own convention — without Obama.

Speaking in Washington, D.C., Trumka said the labor group “will not be doing extravagant events” at this year’s convention like “we’ve done in the past.”

Instead of giving money to the Obama campaign and Democrats they are focusing on their own event that rivals the Democratic convention. The event, called “Workers Stand for America” will be held on August 11 in Philadelphia.

Considering how little Democrats in Washington, D.C. have done on behalf of their “allies” in organized labor (anyone remember what happened to the Employee Free Choice Act?) I think it’s time for organized labor to refocus on electing Democrats who’ll stand up for the middle class, instead of Democrats who do little more than pay lip service to the issues folks who are members of labor unions care about.

Share:

Related Articles

12 thoughts on “Organized labor holding its own convention instead of attend Democratic Convention

  1. If I can get progressive activists from across America to meet me in Danville, Illinois while the DNC is going on in Charlotte, North Carolina, a Progressive Convention is a sure thing.

  2. I understand labors frustration with the Democratic Party…but instead of trying to co-opt the party, they are simply going to walk away? Whatever derision that the tea party has earned, at least they knew the only way to power was to usurp the Republican Party agenda.

  3. I like it. Ed Heinzelmann, when labor walks away, the Dems will have to come to labor for a change, rather than just count on labor to come running to the Dems.

  4. the continued splintering on the left is part of the reason the Republicans did so well in 2010 and in the recalls here in WI. Labor would be better served ‘infiltrating’ the Dems bottom up.

  5. But isn’t the left just a conglomeration of splintered interests? The Democratic Party embraces many large umbrella platform issues where the Republican platform is simpler. Take marriage equality, complex issue to implement & sell to the whole of the party but the Republican platform is much easier to digest: Gay=Bad.

  6. Labor on the whole is getting screwed. Since Clinton first brought the Democrats up to parity with the Republicans regarding corporate funding, organized labor sucks hind tit. (agricultural reference, not sexual) This is the lowest union membership has been since the 1920s. It shot up in response to the Great Depression, and has been under assault ever since. Most of the public, not being savvy to media brainwashing, is unaware of how weak organized labor is. Hmmmm. Every night there’s a “Business Report” on TV. Where is the “Labor Report”?

  7. Love the idea of a strong 3rd party but is it a little late in the game for this to happen in 2012?

  8. If they’re just going to stand around preening for 3 days and tell everybody how wonderful they are, then they have done nothing but waste oxygen. On the other hand, they can come forth with how they will partner with industry to ensure the success of all involved. That, and they have a massive public perception problem to fix. Fancy their chances? Or will they just fall further into irrelevancy?

  9. Another PR disaster for organized US labor. They simply have no clue about nor expertise in media-centered promotion.

Comments are closed.