As union leadership navigates the complexities of political involvement, the landscape of union membership is becoming increasingly varied in its political alignment. The AFL-CIO’s recent convention in Minneapolis and the upcoming UAW convention highlight the evolving role of unions in the political sphere.
Union Leadership and Political Challenges
The AFL-CIO, the largest labor organization in the United States, convened this week in Minneapolis with a focus on union organizing during the Trump administration and the upcoming midterm elections. NPR’s Don Gonyea provided coverage of the event.
The delegates at the convention started by reelecting AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. During her acceptance speech, she celebrated a major achievement:
LIZ SHULER: “We said – if you remember, we said we would organize a million new workers over the next 10 years. Well guess what? We got it done in three.”
Despite these wins, union membership still accounts for just over 10% of the U.S. workforce. Shuler’s leadership began under former President Joe Biden, who was deemed the most pro-union president. However, the subsequent Trump administration posed significant challenges, including mass cuts to federal union jobs and policies favoring corporate interests over workers’ rights.
Shuler remarked on these challenges:
SHULER: “When Donald Trump ripped away the collective bargaining of 1 million federal workers – the single biggest act of union busting in American history – did we back down?”
A crowd responded with a resounding “No,” followed by Shuler’s emphatic “Hell no.”
Union Response and Community Involvement
The choice of Minneapolis as the convention location carried symbolic weight. It was in this city that federal immigration enforcement actions were met with strong protests, resulting in the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Bernie Burnham, leading the Minnesota AFL-CIO, emphasized the unions’ commitment to community support during these times.
BERNIE BURNHAM: “They know that if they send ICE into any of your communities, you will fight just as hard as we did.”
A round of applause followed her statement, reinforcing the labor movement’s stance on being present for the community.
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, representing 140,000 construction workers, also highlighted the adverse impacts of Trump’s policies. Jimmy Williams, the union’s president, described the atmosphere of fear among workers:
JIMMY WILLIAMS: “It’s a chilling effect amongst all workers, right? Not just union members, but nonunion workers, too. They go to work scared to death every single day and won’t speak out when there’s workplace issues, right?”
Future of Political Engagement
With political allegiances among union members shifting, AFL-CIO President Shuler insists on the importance of continued dialogue. As they approach the elections, labor unions plan to engage through social media, targeted messaging, and personal interactions among members. Shuler noted the significance of these conversations:
SHULER: “And so that’s what I have seen that we’ve pivoted into more is just the humanity of what we’re living through right now. And, you know, it’s political in the sense that ultimately it will be pointing to an election.”
Shuler remains hopeful that by actively engaging with their membership, unions can amplify their voices in the upcoming political season.
Don Gonyea, NPR News, Minneapolis.
