[lbo-talk] UE on CAFTA

[MICHAEL YATES]

Chris Townsend of the United Eelctrical Workers union has written, for 
mrzine, an excellent article on CAFTA, the NAFTA-like trade agreement 
recently passed by Congress.  It will be a disaster for workers, yet as 
Chris points out, allegedly pro-labor Democrats voted for it.  And 
Republicans who got lots of labor money voted for it too.  There are some 
good links in the article, including to the Dems who voted for this 
anti-labor agreement.  Big business was out in force in DC passing out cash 
to get the agreement passed.  Check out Chris's piece at 
<http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/townsend071005.html>

And don't miss Jerry Tucker's good piece on the recent Change to Win 
convention in St. Louis 
(<http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/tucker041005.html>).  I was curious about 
Andy Stern's statements in an impromptu press conference:

"When asked about how to talk with the union membership, Brother Stern said, 
'Blogs and the internet. Union halls and small groups aren't working.' At 
one point in the interview, he made the assertion that engaging in 'class 
struggle unionism was outdated' and that 'a new partnership with employers 
was necessary to build unions and America.'"

Michael Yates