Andy Stern has sent a letter to SEIU locals reacting to the recent Solidarity Charters proposal from the AFL-CIO. Here it ’tis:

August 17, 2005

TO: All Local Unions

FR: Andy Stern
RE: Labor Unity at Local and State Level and in Constituency Groups

The seven major unions with 6 million members that formed the Change to Win Coalition have begun discussions about the exciting opportunities that our new unity makes possible. We are preparing for our founding convention on September 27, 2005 and working together on strategies to unite millions more workers with us so we all have the strength to change workers’ lives.

At the same time, we continue to encourage our locals to maintain past affiliations with central labor councils, state labor federations, and constituency groups and to continue to pay per capita as in the past to the labor councils and state feds unless those payments are rejected.

The national AFL-CIO leadership recently told the news media that they may be prepared to accept continuing local and state unity. At this point, however, that unity would be conditioned on proposed rules that are unworkable and divisive.

For example, Change to Win local unions would be subject to:

• A ban on participation in local and state leadership.

• A requirement to be “bound by whatever actions or decisions of the [national] Federation that are binding on all affiliated local unions.”
• A requirement that even to fill out a current term in elected office in a council, an individual from a Change to Win union must publicly oppose their own union’s democratically determined decision regarding national affiliation.
• Discriminatory fees, including a 10 percent surcharge.

• A provision that Change to Win locals’ participation in local or state councils expires at the end of next year, and that in the meantime they could not withdraw from the local council or state federation for any reason.

Conditions like these are obviously unacceptable, but we remain open to discussions with the AFL-CIO regarding unity and partnership at the local and state level. We have reached out to meet with AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to discuss how the Change to Win Coalition and the AFL-CIO can work together.

We hope this situation can be resolved to maintain the unity that is the goal of the Change to Win Coalition and all concerned at the local and state level. One way or the other, we will find a way to coordinate our work as real partners at the local and state levels, both among our unions and with our sisters and brothers in AFL-CIO affiliates.

Now that the debate about national direction is over and behind us, it is time to pursue the strategy that we believe will unite millions more workers in each industry and rebuild the strength of working people in America. In doing so, we will work with all allies, both in and out of the AFL-CIO, who share our goals and principles.