AFL-CIO Proposes ‘Solidarity Charters’ to Retain Disaffiliated Locals
As the AFL-CIOs Building and Construction Trades Dept. continues to grapple with ways to ease the uncertainty and keep jobsites free from disruption of how to deal with the loss of the carpenters and the teamsters, the labor federation has given its first glimpse of an alternative plan that would allow local unions to remain active in building trades councils, central labor councils and state federations.
The action comes just two weeks after three large unions the service employees, teamsters and food and commercial workers announced their withdrawal from the AFL-CIO. The carpenters disaffiliated from the federation in 2001. The AFL-CIO constitution prohibits unions that are not a members from participating in federation departments or local and state affiliates.