The AFL-CIO meeting wrapped up late this morning, Vegas time—and with some last minute fireworks between SEIU’s Andy Stern and AFSCME’s Gerry McEntee. Stern distributed a resolution entitled “Resolution to Enforce Mutual Accountability in the Labor Movement’s Campaign for Freedom of Workers to Choose a Voice At Work.” (Okay, not the most Hemingwayesque formulation). The resolution said that it is “not just hostile employer environment that is undermining our movement’s campaign for workers rights…it is also the failure of the AFL-CIO.” And the resolution urged the Executive Council to “prevent AFSCME’s attempt to derail SEIU’a organizing drive among low-wage child care providers in Illinois.”

Here’s the background: there are about 49,000 child care workers in Illinois, 75 percent of whom make less than $9 a child per day. These are people who work for public agencies. In February 2005, Gov. Rod Blagoevich signed an executive order giving the child care workers bargaining rights. The resolution says that “AFSCME set out to prevent these providers from having the opportunity to select a representative,” including by filing an unfair labor practice charge against the govenor for issuing the executive order. Stern blasted McEntee at the meeting and McEntee answered in kind.

So, I assume AFSCME has its side of the story and things always get testy when two or more unions compete for the same group of workers—which in a better world would not happen. But, it is very weird that AFSCME would go to a labor body and say, “these workers should not have these rights that were granted by the governor.” Haven’t had a chance to get the other side but there you have it.

The Council also endorsed a Bill of Citizens Media Rights brought by the media unions—good stuff about challenging media consolidation.

Okay, so this scribe is about to get on a plane back to Los Angeles and, then, back to NYC Friday. Still much to follow up on and analyze but apologies if it comes a little slower next couple of days.