Local labor bond called 'strong'

Despite a much-publicized, bitter rift between their parent unions in July, local labor leaders say their bond is strong and their commitment to working together unchanged.

"We have no problems here. There are no problems in Utah," said Ed Mayne, a state senator and president of the Utah AFL-CIO. "The fight and disagreement is in Washington, D.C., and it's all about leadership."

On July 25, the general executive board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted unanimously to withdraw its membership from the AFL-CIO, which encompasses some 50 unions nationwide. The United Food and Commercial Workers and the Service Employees International Union, which was the AFL-CIO's largest union with 1.8 million members, made similar announcements the same day.

The breakaway unions cited differences over how to grow union membership, and the prioritization of political lobbying and organizing efforts. The trio complained the AFL-CIO was spending too much money on various political efforts and neglecting grassroots growth and organizing.

"We submitted, in good faith, proposals to dramatically change the direction of the AFL-CIO to stem the losses that we have endured over the past decade," said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters president, on the day of the break. "We proposed that the AFL-CIO embark on a new course of action that would not only protect our existing Teamster members and their families, but lead to thousands of new working men and women having the opportunity to organize into a strong union . . .

"In our view, we must have more union members in order to change the political climate that is undermining workers' rights in this country. The AFL-CIO has chosen the opposite approach."

Last week, AFL-CIO president John Sweeney said he believes the disaffected unions eventually will rejoin the federation, and that the labor movement will again be united.

But Hoffa said this week that the three breakaways — which since have formed the "Change to Win Coalition" with several other union groups — are "more nimble" and better able to rebuild the labor movement by targeting new or growing industries, such as health care and waste management.

In Utah, labor leaders insist the relationship between union groups is strong, and the scuffle at the national level has had no effect on the ground.