The AFL-CIO has issued the following press release:Labor coming back together at grassroots
UNIONS AGREE TO TERMS FOR “SOLIDARITY CHARTERS”
ALLOWING LOCAL AFFILIATES OF BREAKAWAY UNIONS
TO JOIN AFL-CIO STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 – AFL-CIO President John Sweeney today said the labor federation has reached an “agreement in principle” over terms for local unions affiliated with the Change to Win (CTW) federation to join AFL-CIO state federations and central labor councils via “Solidarity Charters” and enjoy full voting and participation rights. In a memo to AFL-CIO state and local bodies, Sweeney outlined the terms agreed to by officials of CTW:
“I am pleased to report that we have made progress in our discussions with the Change to Win unions concerning the terms of the Solidarity Charter Program. With respect to the two major issues remaining in dispute, the AFL-CIO has agreed that members from CTW unions who have Solidarity Charters may run for and hold office in the state and central bodies; and for their part, the CTW unions have agreed with the concept of paying for cost sharing at the national level to support the work of the state federations and central labor councils, with the understanding that it remains to negotiate a mutually acceptable method of payment.
“In view of the agreement that we believe we have in principle, the AFL-CIO has agreed to extend the deadline for reaching final terms through the November elections, to November 15. In the meantime, the AFL-CIO will not object to members of CTW locals that intend to apply for Solidarity Charters running for office in the state and central bodies in question.”
Further discussions are being scheduled to finalize details. The agreement and the Solidarity Charters are expected to help pull the American labor movement back together at the community level where its organizing, political and issues mobilization programs are implemented.
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