>From: "Kevin Robert Dean" <Qualiall at buffnet.net>
>Reply-To: Qualiall at buffnet.net
>To: socialistsunmoderated at debs.pinko.net
>Subject: Labor rethinking alliances
>Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 12:46:34 est5edt
>
>Labor To Rethink Alliances
>
>Filed at 2:32 a.m. EDT
>By The Associated Press
>
>WASHINGTON (AP) -- Local union officials and workers will decide whether
>to pull their political support from Democratic allies who defected on the
>China trade vote, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says.
>
>"We will mount the biggest effort ever to engage working men and women in
>judging the records of every single candidate," said Sweeney.
>
>The labor chief described his mood after this week's House passage of
>union-opposed legislation to increase trade with China in one word:
>"Angry."
>
>Beyond this fall, Sweeney said the AFL-CIO will start grooming candidates
>to challenge lawmakers who don't support labor's agenda -- without regard
>to their party affiliation.
>
>"I think we have to take a look at encouraging more progressive candidates
>in primary races, looking to 2002," Sweeney said.
>
>The trade defeat put unions in an awkward position: The AFL-CIO has been
>pouring millions of dollars into a campaign to win Congress and the White
>House for its friends in November -- traditionally Democrats who champion
>union causes, from supporting minimum wage increases to opposing Social
>Security privatization. Yet many of those friends -- 73 Democrats -- voted
>in favor of the trade Clinton administration-backed trade legislation, and
>Vice President Al Gore offered his muted support.
>
>In retaliation, local Teamsters have already notified several Democratic
>lawmakers they are pulling back support previously offered. Among them are
>Reps. Lois Capps of California, Thomas Sawyer of Ohio and Dennis Moore of
>Kansas, according to the union's government affairs director, Mike Mathis.
>
>
>"I don't think that we'll be working for anyone who has voted wrong on
>this issue," said Mathis, adding "There may even be places where we
>actively go against someone."
>
>If that leaves some lawmakers who have been longtime labor allies out in
>the cold, Sweeney said he doesn't think it will be a serious blow to the
>unions' overall goal of winning back Democratic control of Congress this
>fall.
>
>"There have to be six good candidates out there to achieve majority in the
>House of Representatives," Sweeney said, referring to the number of seats
>Democrats must take from Republicans to win control of the House.
>
>President Clinton tried to smooth over the rift; at a White House event on
>Thursday, he stressed Democratic party unity on other issues, such as
>adding prescription drug benefits to Medicare.
>
>"There's much more that unites us then divides us," Clinton said.
>
>Sweeney nevertheless scolded the administration for the trade deal.
>
>"I am deeply angry that the president, (who) working families elected,
>chose to divide progressive elected officials and their core
>constituencies," Sweeney said at a news conference.
>
>Still, he stressed that the AFL-CIO's endorsement of Gore's presidential
>bid is unwavering -- despite dissension by the Teamsters and the United
>Auto Workers, two of the federation's largest unions.
>
>Sweeney predicted ranks will ultimately close. "I'm confident ... that
>we'll have all the affiliates united in the political campaign in the
>fall," he said.
>
>However, Mathis said of the Teamsters, "At this point we're not very
>comfortable with any of our choices."
>
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