The American Worker
Today & Tomorrow
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Economic Transformation
A.
Globalization
B.
Flexibility
C.
Service
D.
Shareholder Value
E.
Impact
The “New” AFL-CIO
A.
Changing leadership
B.
Policies
Mixed Results
A.
Organizing
B.
Reform
C.
Politics
Where do we go?
Globalization
Chinese Coca Cola ad
• Free trade
Shanghai Buick plant, 2003
– NAFTA
– WTO
• Outsourcing
– Escape unions
– Escape regulation
Flexibility
• Temping
• Downsizing
San Jose temp, 1996
Service
• From 1994-1996, 38
percent of new jobs were
in service
• WalMart becomes the
nation’s largest private
employer
– 720,000 employees
– ½ qualify for food stamps
Las Vegas, 2005
Shareholder Value
• Hostile takeovers of the 1980s
lead to new emphasis on
shareholders
• Led by Wall Street bankers
• Demands that CEOs cut wages
– Tie their salary to stock prices
• Gives them incentive to bust
unions
Impact
• Risk
– Income insecurity
– No benefits, insurance
– Debt, bankruptcy
• Wealth gap
– 400 richest U.S. taxpayers earn $69 billion in 2000
Changing leadership
• Kirkland
– Middle-class Southerner
– AFL research department
– Cold warrior
Fr. AFL-CIO pres. Lane Kirkland
• Sweeney
– New Yorker
– Ties to TWU, ILGWU
– Becomes leader of the Service
Employees Intl. Union (SEIU)
• Formerly corrupt
– Union gains 500,000 in 15 years
AFL-CIO pres. John Sweeney
Policies
• Organizing
• Inclusivity
• Politics
• Coalition-building
Former UMW president, Rich Trumka
speaks at rally for Sacramento janitors
Difficulties
• Union membership
increased 265,000
• But percentage stays
even at 14 percent
• But labor loses some
key showdowns
– California
Supermarket lockout,
2004-5
California supermarket protest, 2004
Reforming the
Reformers
IBT president, James Hoffa, Jr.
• Carey
– Employs guilt by association
– Convicted of union election violations
• Hoffa
Fr. IBT president, Ron Carey
– Nostalgia
Political Struggles
• Democrats refuse to adopt labor’s position on trade
• Republicans appeal to workers through other issues
– Nationalism, guns, abortion
Where do we go?
• Don’t panic
• Resist nostalgia
• Work together
Protestors, Seattle, 1999