This is not shocking news–on July 29th, the head of the Building and Construction Trades Department, Ed Sullivan, sent a letter to all its affiliated councils in the U.S. and Canada in which he gives the heave-ho to the Teamsters and Carpenters.

It’s not shocking in that everyone knew it was coming and it’s consistent with John Sweeney’s position about participation of disaffiliated unions in AFL-CIO bodies. But, it’s part of the hardball approach being taken by the AFL-CIO leadership. I say hardball because the Carpenters had disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO in 2001 but no one had wanted to push them out of the BCTD. Over the past few years, a variety of resolutions and threats and
negotiations volleyed back and forth between the Carpenters and
AFL-CIO Executive Council about the Carpenters relationship with the
BCTD. But, John Sweeney did say earlier this year that if the Carpenters didn’t
come back into the Federation by the July convention, they’d be kicked out of the BCTD.

During the convention, I made one observation about why this matters: the building trades councils around the country play an active role in the daily lives of their members because employers negotiate project agreements through the councils. But, if you force the Carpenters and the Teamsters out of the councils, that plays havoc with the industry because employers won’t negotiate the project agreements if these guys aren’t at the table.

The only additional obvious ramification here is that kicking these folks out of the BCTD just gives more impetus for the Laborers to disaffiliate from the AFL-CIO. I certainly think that will come before the September 27th founding convention of the Change To Win coalition. The next battlegrounds to purify the AFL-CIO of disaffiliated union participation will be the Central Labor Councils and State Feds.

So, here it is (he sure uses a lot of capital letters):

Secretaries and Chief Executive Officers
State, Provincial and Local Building and Construction Trades Councils
United State and Canada

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

As I am sure you have heard by now, President Hoffa of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has decided to withdrawn from the AFL-CIO. In addition, President McCarron of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America has decided not to reaffiliate with the AFL-CIO by the announced deadline of the close of the AFL-CIO convention. Despite repeated attempts by Secretary-Treasurer Maloney and me, as well as Presidents of the Department’s affiliates to help reconocile the differences between the AFL-CIO and Presidents McCarron and Hoffa, they have decided to take their organizations out of the AFL-CIO.

The AFL-CIO Constitution prohibits the Building and Construction Trades Departments from allowing unions unaffiliated with the AFL-CIO from maintaining membership in the Department. Consistent with the AFL-CIO Constitution, I have received the attached memorandum from AFL-CIO President Sweeney stating, “Only unions that are affiliated with the AFL-CIO at the national level are permitted to affiliate and obtain representation in AFL-CIO trade and industrial departments at the national, state or local level, or participate in their governance.”

As a result of the decision of Presidents McCarron and Hoffa, the Carpenters and Teamsters are no longer eligible to be affiliated with the Department or any State Provincial or Local Building and Construction Trades Council. Until the Carpenters and Teamsters reaffiliate with the AFL-CIO, they will not be entitled to representation in the Department, including our upcoming Convnetion, or in any State, Provincial and Local Building and Construction Trades Council.

No member of the Carpenters or Teamsters can run for, or serve as a delegate or officer of a State, Provincial or Local Building and and Construction Trades Council. A member of the Carpenters or Teamsters who currently holds such position must resign the office, unless the individual is or becomes a member of a Union affiliated with the AFL-CIO and the Department.

I recgonize that because if the necessary interrelationship among building trades, we will have to continue to work together to ensure that our differences do not disrupt jobsites. The Governing Board of Presidents will be meeting shortly to discuss ways to deal with President McCarron’s and President Hoffa’s decision to withdraw from the AFL-CIO and to provide Councils with additional guidance.

In the meantime, if circumstances arise that you believe exacerbate the current situation, please contact Secretary-Treasurer Maloney or me so we can discuss ways to resolve any conflicts.

With kind personal regards, I am,

Sincererly and fraternally,

Edward C. Sullivan
President