The AFL-CIO Split: Vital Strategies for Employers

This past Summer, many of the nations largest unions broke away from the AFL-CIO creating the new “Coalition to Win.” The Coalition to Win (CTW) includes the Service Employees International Union, Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE-HERE. The new group represents roughly 5.4 million unionized employees in the United States.

The Coalition to Win unions broke away from the AFL-CIO because they did not believe that the traditional labor movement was doing enough to organize new workers or to enhance member’s rights.

On September 27, 2005, the CTW held its founding convention in St. Louis, Missouri. Anna Berger, the CTW’s new leader, declared that it plans to target more than 50 million unorganized workers in industries including health care, retail, hospitality, construction, transportation, property services, food production and utilities. The CTW also announced its intent to spend 750 million dollars annually to organize new members. In response to these CTW pronouncements, the AFL-CIO has also increased its organizing activities.

On Thursday, November 17, 2005, Seyfarth Shaw will present a Breakfast Briefing to discuss what these changes mean to employers throughout the United States. The Breakfast Briefing will review the new labor landscape and the strategic approach that we expect organized labor to take over the next few years. We will focus on what actions employers can take to asses their vulnerability to such union tactics and how to create a positive work environment.

Registration: 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Program: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.