Business Week: Can this man save labor? (Andy Stern of SEIU)

[Quetzal]

Can this man save labor? (Andy Stern of SEIU)

Andy Stern wants to radically retool the U.S. labor movement. But first he must win over some powerful union leaders

The symbolism couldn't have been more stark: The son trying to overthrow the father. Seventy-year-old AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney had come to San Francisco in June to give a pep talk to 3,000 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union of public-sector, health-care, and janitorial workers he had run before becoming labor's chief honcho in 1995. But instead of a rousing homecoming reception, his successor and former protégé, 53-year-old SEIU President Andrew L. Stern, let rip a razor-sharp swipe at Sweeney's largely failed struggle to rejuvenate the labor movement over the past nine years.

Stern's message: Labor remains in a death spiral, and its house needs a top-to-bottom overhaul if it's ever going to revive. The AFL-CIO, he charged, has become an antiquated structure that "divides workers' strength." When the SEIU's own policies and traditions hindered its expansion, Stern reminded his audience, he swept them aside. Barring drastic action, he told his delegates, the 1.6-million-member SEIU should break away and start a new federation. Change "is so long overdue that we either transform the AFL-CIO -- or build something stronger," he proclaimed.

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Can this man save labor?

[Sugarbleus]

1. Good question. I should go look into this as I'm a

SEIU member. My local has done some outstanding work. I know that my union supported Dean in the beginning. This union has been involved in a whole host of political issues. I best go look into it..silly me. Thanks for posting this.

[Nadienne]

2. In a word,

Maybe.

He has some good ideas - especially focusing on density in a line of work so non-union workers don't undermine the efforts of unionized workers.

But the employer-class will go to pretty great lengths to keep from having to pay their employees decent, fair wages. Including remind their workers that employees are competing globally. "You better kiss my @$$, b!tch, or I'll find someone who will kiss my @$$ and thank me for it!"

Which is why we so-very-much need trade agreements that are based on workers rights and environmental protection.

By the way, what will Kerry be to unions? Friend? Foe?