US Change to Win coalition gathers momentum

UK union Organisers have been following events in the US around the debate within the AFL-CIO on the movements future direction and startegy with great interest. A few weeks ago 5 of the AFL-CIO's biggest affiliates formed the "Change to Win" coalition. Today, the Carpenters union joined the coalition increasing the momentum ofd the coalition and increasing the prospect of a spliy within the US labour movement.

The Change to Win coalition has 5 aims:

1. Make it our first priority to help millions more workers form unions so we can build a strong movement for rewarding work in America.

2. Unite the strength of everyone who works in the same industry so we can negotiate with today's huge global corporations for everyone's benefit.

3. Reflect the diversity and commitment to change of today's workforce.

4. Build a growing, independent voice for working people in politics based on economic issues, not party.

5. Modernize the strategies, structure, and priorities of the AFL-CIO to make these changes possible

The basic argument is that the US Labour movement needs to shift major resources into organising if it to grow and build real sustainable worker power in the USA.

Things will come to a head at the AFL-CIO convention in late July.