I have been optimistic since last summer that the two federations would find some way to work with each other. And when John Sweeney rolled out the general concept of Solidarity Charters, even though the initial proposal had some serious weaknesses that needed to be fought over, it looked like they would provide a good framework for cooperation.

But, if the AFL-CIO doesn’t get off a goofy position by May 1st (a deadline for the Solidarity Charters implementation), the whole concept will go down the tubes–which would be unfortunate. Back in February, I reported on a letter Sweeney sent to State Federations and Central Labor Councils, advising them that the United Farm Workers, which disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO in January, was not eligible to be part of Solidarity Charters–nor would any other union be eligible if it left AFL-CIO from that day on. The position of the AFL-CIO is that only five unions–UFCW, the Teamsters, SEIU, UNITEHERE and the Carpenters–are eligible for Solidarity Charters.

At the time, I questioned such an edict. It struck me that it was an attempt by the AFL-CIO to continue its quest to control the reshaping of the labor movement into two federations. From one vantage point, I understand the impulse–as more unions leave the AFL-CIO, it loses money and it is forced to continue to downsize. The Laborers will leave the AFL-CIO quite soon, which will be another hit on the treasury of the AFL-CIO. In fact, the rule about the Farmworkers–which has maybe 25,000 members and certainly is irrelevant to the Federation’s finances–is really aimed at the Laborers and other heavyweights who may be pondering life outside the AFL-CIO.

But, if the AFL-CIO’s leadership wants to keep unions inside the AFL-CIO I think the better way to do that is to show the value of the AFL-CIO.

The point of Solidarity Charters to make it possible to work on labor and political action without regard to federation, because that was better for workers. Since the UFW really only matters in three states, not many AFL-CIO labor councils are going to feel that. I said a couple of months ago that it was smart for John Sweeney to agree to the Solidarity Charters. It’s time to eliminate the UFW rule and let Solidarity Charters apply across the board.