-James P. Hoffa did send a letter endorsing the WW's Million Worker Movement, -and he used the words "working class" in the letter. The UAW may be looking -to some radicals to help stir up some stuff. -Some of the opportunist trade union leaders of the thirties turned to the CP -and other radical cadre as union organizers when they wanted to get militant -in making industrial unions.
Except back then the CP and other left groups actually had innovative strategies and some real sense of tactics.
The CP was not just calling for empty marches but thinking creatively about organizing in a range of industries, not just rhetoric but hard analysis of the industries involved that led to real concrete gains for workers. The Trotskists like Dobbs actually figured out innovative organizing of long-haul trucking.
The best, smartest organizers were in the radical groups. These days, the smart organizers exist in a diverse group of non-profit organizations and among many of the new militant Democratic groups-- and it is to the smart community groups and the militant Dem types that the unions are turning now for new cadres to staff up their new organizing drives.
I just can't see Andy Stern thinking that the Workers World is where he'll find the bright new minds to revive the union movement.
Nathan Newman