This special section provides articles and links about the ongoing debate concerning the structure of the AFL-CIO -- and the future of the labor movement in the United States.

Websites
The national AFL-CIO's website and forum, www.aflcio.org
The new Change to Win Coalition's website, www.changetowin.org
SEIU's Unite to Win website, www.unitetowin.org
A list of current proposals and essays

Minnesota unionists issue appeal for unity
By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor ? July 6, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS ? Concerned that rancorous debate among national unions could irreparably harm the future of the labor movement, Minnesota unionists are issuing a call for unity.

Carpenters join dissident union coalition
July 4, 2005
WASHINGTON ? The Carpenters union, which left the AFL-CIO four years ago complaining it devoted too much money to D.C. staff and not enough to organizing, has joined a five-union dissident coalition that emphasizes organizing in core industries.

Stressing need for unity, Sweeney ticket seeks re-election
By Mark Gruenberg ? June 28, 2005
WASHINGTON ? Stressing the need for labor unity in the face of an anti-worker federal government and business hostility, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and his ticket formally announced they would seek re-election to labor's top posts.

Five unions form new labor coalition
June 15, 2005
WASHINGTON ? The leaders of five of the largest unions in the AFL-CIO Wednesday announced the formation of the Change to Win Coalition, a new alliance devoted to creating a large-scale, coordinated campaign to rebuild the American labor movement.

AFL-CIO cuts staff; turmoil at federation continues
May 6, 2005
WASHINGTON ? In a new turn in the process of revamping the AFL-CIO, federation leaders said May 3 they would lay off a net of 106 staffers and merge several of its departments.

AFL-CIO leaders propose revamp plan
By Mark Gruenberg ? May 1, 2005
WASHINGTON ? A plan to revamp the AFL-CIO, issued by its top three leaders, calls for more money for organizing and mobilizing, year-round issues campaigns, more coordinated strategic organizing and voluntary union mergers. But some top union officers say the plan fails to devote enough resources to organizing.

UMD students offer their ideas for changing the labor movement
March 24, 2005
DULUTH ? Early this month, 11 graduate students in a Labor and Organizing course at the University of Minnesota-Duluth convened as if they were the national AFL-CIO Executive Council, then meeting in Las Vegas.

State federation, labor council roles expanded
March 13, 2005
LAS VEGAS ? Top AFL-CIO leaders decided to expand the organizing and political role of state federations and local Central Labor Councils (CLCs). But CLCs that are too small to be effective or ineffective even with new resources will be merged.

Carpenters get 'drop-dead' deadline to rejoin AFL-CIO
By Mark Gruenberg ? March 6, 2005
LAS VEGAS ? AFL-CIO President John Sweeney gave the Carpenters a "drop-dead deadline," the federation's convention in July, to rejoin the federation or be evicted from all federation affiliates, including the Building Trades Department.

Analysis: Work to revamp AFL-CIO largely unfinished
By Mark Gruenberg ? March 6, 2005
LAS VEGAS ? As the nation's union leaders worked through long and sometimes acrimonious meetings of the federation Executive Council in Las Vegas last week, they left a lot undone.

Union leaders put emphasis on politics; revamp talks continue
By Mark Gruenberg ? March 3, 2005
LAS VEGAS ? By a substantial margin, the nation's union leaders adopted a proposal to put the AFL-CIO's prime emphasis on politics and legislation, with organizing second.

Unions take sides at AFL-CIO council meeting
March 2, 2005
LAS VEGAS ? The unions of the AFL-CIO took sides in a critical vote Wednesday, but it appears the real showdown on the labor movement's future will come at the national federation's convention in July.

Sweeney predicts major changes at AFL-CIO
By Mark Gruenberg ? February 25, 2005
WASHINGTON ? The nation's labor movement will undergo "major" and "meaningful" changes from now through July and beyond, AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney says.

Fletcher, Bronfenbrenner: Labor must champion workers
By Mark Gruenberg ? February 25, 2005
ITHACA, N.Y. ? Cornell Labor Studies Professor Bronfenbrenner and TransAfrica Forum President Fletcher say labor must return to being a mass movement of workers, not just be perceived as representing its members.

State federations, labor councils issue joint restructuring plan
By Mark Gruenberg ? February 21, 2005
SILVER SPRINGS, M.D. ? A coalition of AFL-CIO state federations and local Central Labor Councils has agreed on a federation restructuring plan that calls for two-year specific state and local strategic organizing plans--and for the AFL-CIO to be able to dump inactive state feds and CLCs.

Increase organizing among white collar workers, group says
February 7, 2005
WASHINGTON ? The AFL-CIO is a white-collar group, but the nation?s workers don?t know it because the federation doesn?t show it. And if labor wants to grow, it has to change that perception around and "sell itself" to that majority segment of the U.S. workforce, the Department for Professional Employees adds.

CLUW pushes greater representation
January 31, 2005
WASHINGTON ? With debate continuing over how to revamp the AFL-CIO, a top constituency group pushed for greater representation, and the Roofers protested forced mergers.

AFSCME plan pushes politics; IAM says 'go slow'
January 17, 2005
WASHINGTON ? As top union leaders started sifting through AFL-CIO reorganization proposals, two more top unions--AFSCME and the Machinists--unveiled their own plans: AFSCME, which pushed political action, and IAM, which says 'go slow."

Federation launches website on AFL-CIO reorganization
By Mark Gruenberg ? January 10, 2005
WASHINGTON ? With debate over AFL-CIO reorganization heating up, the federation launched its own website on the revamp, soliciting suggestions from union members nationwide.

Labor councils, Teamsters jump into debate on AFL-CIO?s future
By Michael Kuchta, Union Advocate editor ? January 3, 2005
ST. PAUL ? An ?open letter? circulated by the presidents of 12 AFL-CIO central labor councils ? including Shar Knutson of the Saint Paul Trades and Labor Assembly ? warns that changes in the AFL-CIO at the national level will not work without significant changes that build powerful local union movements as well.

Teamsters offer AFL-CIO reorganization plan
December 20, 2004
WASHINGTON ? Add the Teamsters to the list of unions that want to shake up the AFL-CIO--and add them to the list of those who want union mergers.

Speakers differ about 'Labor at the Crossroads'
By David Swanson ? December 13, 2004
NEW YORK ? Five hundred people who care about the future of the labor movement gathered at the City University of New York on Dec. 2-3. But they agreed on little about its prospects, except for two points: The movement needs to stop shrinking and start growing, and that George W. Bush is bad news.

Stern reorganization plan draws support, flak
By Mark Gruenberg ? December 6, 2004
WASHINGTON ? Service Employees President Andrew Stern's plan to radically reform or blow up the AFL-CIO is drawing a combination of strong support from central labor councils and one state fed chief--along with a little flak.