> a lot of union members are Republicans. Shouldn't the union leadership
> consult the members about which candidates (if any) to support? In
> that case, "extraparliamentary campaigns and organizing" might be the
> way to go...
--------------------------------
I'd be interested in more detail about the extent of Republican support
among organized workers. I know union households in the US consistently vote
DP. I understand that the right has picked up a fair amount of working class
support since 9/11, especially in the depressed mining and factory towns,
where xenophobic and militarist feelings run high among insecure white
males, while the public and service sector workers, especially those where
there is strong representation of women and blacks, Hispanics, and other
national minorities, are strongly Democratic.
Has the national shift to the Republicans in the past five years resulted in any important unions or locals formally endoring them as the Teamsters once did? Were Republicans active in union locals seeking endorsations for Bush? In Canada, until the CAW openly declared its controversial support for the Liberals in the recent election, Liberal or Conservative trade unionists opposed to the labour movement's backing the NDP usually expressed their opposition surreptitiously in the guise of promoting "non-partisan" political action, ie. Gomperism. Is Change to Win going in the same direction as the Canadian autoworkers? Would this be welcomed by some parts of the US left as a break from the Democrats?
Of course the leadership should seek the approval of the membership for political endorsements. Isn't this the norm?