Here are some recent articles commenting on Andy Stern’s (and now the CWA and IBT) proposals to transform the labor movement.
This one is a good summary of the 50+ pages of comments to Stern’s original proposal. Very thoughtful criticisms, including my favorite – the UAW already has a monopoly in the auto industry (like Stern proposes by forcing mergers in other industries) which has not prevented the union from losing tens of thousands of members and lots of power due to changes in the industry. This to me is the core problem with the idea of winning through centralization.
Harry Kelber’s criticism of the plan is similar to my own – the right model should be one of distributing power and voice, not centralizing it.
Here is a great summary of the CUNY conference held last week on the future of the labor movement.
The Detroit News article on this week’s Teamsters proposal to transform the labor movement (in my opinion still wrong on centralization, but much better in terms of tactics – focus on organizing in the election “swing-states”).
An interesting interview with some of the key players in the New Unity Partnership group.
