Watch for updates in this special section on the changes going on in the labor movement.

Websites
The national AFL-CIO's website, www.aflcio.org
The Change to Win Coalition's website, www.changetowin.org

UNITE HERE leaves AFL-CIO
September 14, 2005
ST. PAUL ? The General Executive Board of UNITE HERE has voted to disaffiliate from the AFL-CIO, the union announced Wednesday. The vote follows several months of debate and discussion among the members, staff, and elected leadership, officers said.

UNITE HERE may announce affiliation decision
September 13, 2005
ST. PAUL ? The Executive Board of UNITE HERE, meeting at the Saint Paul Hotel this week, may announce a decision Wednesday on whether it will remain an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

Change to Win Coalition forms in Minnesota
September 2, 2005
ST. PAUL ? On the eve of Labor Day weekend, six Minnesota unions that represent more than 140,000 workers announced the formation of the Minnesota Change to Win Coalition.

Commentary: Debate will reinvigorate labor movement
By Clifford Poehler ? September 1, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS ? The media has made much lately of the internal struggles within organized labor. Indeed some pundits have prematurely (and foolishly) pronounced its imminent demise. Be assured, nothing could be further from the truth. Painful as it is, this debate about membership growth and political action is reinvigorating the labor movement as never before.

Commentary: AFL-CIO split brings crisis and opportunity
By Bill McCarthy, Minneapolis CLUC president ? August 18, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS ? The ongoing national debate about the future direction of the labor movement may seem far removed from the lives of rank and file union members. Who's left the national AFL-CIO, who remains, and what the two sides are arguing about may seem remote indeed. But the debate ? and the break-away of four unions (so far) from the AFL-CIO ? will have profound consequences for all workers.

'Change to Win' coalition plunges into politics
August 14, 2005
ATLANTA ? Showing they do not plan to totally ignore electoral activism, leaders of the "Change to Win" coalition of unions -- notably those that left the AFL-CIO -- plunged into two political causes in early August.

Sweeney offers option to locals of disaffiliated unions
By Michael Kuchta, St. Paul Union Advocate editor ? August 12, 2005
Local unions for the Carpenters, SEIU, Teamsters and UFCW could remain officially involved in state and local AFL-CIO organizations under a ?solidarity charter? proposed by AFL-CIO president John Sweeney.

AFL-CIO takes stand to support health care for all
By Michael Kuchta, Union Advocate editor ? August 9, 2005
CHICAGO ? Calling universal health care "a moral right and an economic imperative," the AFL-CIO took its clearest stand yet on working to fix the nation's broken health-care system.

Video Reports
Thursday, July 28, Federation addresses affiliation questions
Wednesday, July 27, Minnesota union leaders speak out
Tuesday, July 26, AFL-CIO calls for rapid withdrawal of troops from Iraq
Monday, July 25, SEIU, Teamsters leave AFL-CIO
Sunday, July 24, Split fractures federation
Video reports are shown in RealPlayer. Click here for a free download of RealPlayer

UFCW decides to leave AFL-CIO
July 31, 2005
WASHINGTON ? The 1.4 million-member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has become the third union in less a week to leave the AFL-CIO, the national labor federation.

AFL-CIO puts limits on working with disaffiliated unions
By Michael Kuchta, St. Paul Union Advocate editor ? July 28, 2005
CHICAGO ? AFL-CIO leadership drew a hard line Thursday, saying that state and local labor movements cannot take money or otherwise work officially with union locals and councils belonging to internationals that are not affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

CAFTA supporters will pay at the polls, unions pledge
July 28, 2005
CHICAGO ? Every member of Congress of who supported CAFTA ? especially the 15 House Democrats who voted for it ? will be held accountable in the next elections, union leaders said Thursday. Labor leaders also said the passage of CAFTA will put even more pressure on American workers.

Minnesota union leaders react to changes
July 27, 2005
CHICAGO ? Discussion continued in Chicago Wednesday over the split in the AFL-CIO and the creation of the Change to Win coalition. Workday Minnesota interviewed several union leaders from Minnesota to get their reactions to these changes ? and their views about the future of the labor movement.

AFL-CIO supports Wal-Mart drive
By Mark Gruenberg ? July 27, 2005
CHICAGO ? The United Food and Commercial Workers' leaders may not be at the AFL-CIO Convention in Chicago this week, but their big cause -- Wal-Mart -- was. On Wednesday, convention delegates voted unanimously to support the union's national "Wake-Up Wal-Mart" campaign.

Sweeney ticket re-elected to head AFL-CIO
July 27, 2005
CHICAGO ? John Sweeney was re-elected president of the AFL-CIO -- along with Richard Trumka as secretary-treasurer and Linda Chavez-Thompson as executive vice president -- at the AFL-CIO convention Wednesday by more than 800 rank-and-file delegates from across the nation.

AFL-CIO demands rapid withdrawal from Iraq
By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor ? July 26, 2005
CHICAGO ? The AFL-CIO took a strong stand Tuesday to support U.S. troops in Iraq and demand that the U.S. government "bring them home rapidly."

Jackson urges labor to become independent political force
By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor ? July 27, 2005
CHICAGO ? With a call to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, a speech by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Tuesday stirred delegates at the national AFL-CIO convention and brought them cheering to their feet.

SEIU, Teamsters leave AFL-CIO
July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union formally disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO Monday and formed their own labor federation under the "Change to Win" coalition.

Labor leaders discuss impact of disaffiliation
By Michael Kuchta, St. Paul Union Advocate editor ? July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? In interviews with reporters at the national AFL-CIO convention, international union presidents expressed a variety of opinions on how much impact the disaffiliation will have ? and where that impact will be.

Minnesotans disappointed, pledge unity
By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor ? July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? Minnesota unionists attending the national AFL-CIO convention said they are disappointed by the split in the federation, given the strong cooperative history of labor in the state.

Split fractures AFL-CIO on eve of historic convention
By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor ? July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? On the eve of the AFL-CIO's historic 50th anniversary convention, six unions signaled they are ready to split from the federation.

Change to Win announcement draws picket line
By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor ? July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? In an unusual twist at an unusual AFL-CIO convention, union members picketed other union members to voice their opposition to a split in the federation.

Resolutions take on Iraq, national health care
By Michael Kuchta, St. Paul Union Advocate editor ? July 25, 2005
CHICAGO ? Withdrawing American troops from Iraq and promoting national health care in the United States are among more than 50 resolutions being debated at this week's AFL-CIO Convention.

Summit calls for more diverse leadership
By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor ? July 24, 2005
CHICAGO ? "What is it going to take to make sure the leadership of the labor movement looks like the membership of the labor movement?" That was the question posed Saturday to several hundred labor activists attending the National Summit on Labor and Diversity.

State fed, labor council delegates cheer Sweeney ticket
By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor ? July 24, 2005
CHICAGO ? Two days before the national AFL-CIO convention was set to begin, delegates who represent local central labor councils and state federations cheered AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and his lieutenants at a late afternoon gathering.

Andy Stern: AFL-CIO must transform itself
By Mark Gruenberg ? July 24, 2005
WASHINGTON ? Saying "institutions need to transform themselves to be successful" in the new global environment, Service Employees President Andrew Stern is contending the AFL-CIO must do so, too.

Minnesota unions fear the worst
July 19, 2005
ST. PAUL ? As international unions head for this month's pivotal AFL-CIO convention ? a convention that could spark the most serious split in the nation's labor movement in 70 years ? Minnesota union leaders say they don't want "you're with us or your against us" edicts that force them to quit cooperating with each other.

What's behind the dispute
By Michael Kuchta, St. Paul Union Advocate editor ? July 19, 2005
ST. PAUL ? At the core of the very public dispute among unions nationally are conflicting strategies for rebuilding and reorganizing the nation's labor movement.

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.