Bill Schurgin and Gary Glaser Published in Executive Counsel Magazine

The January/February 2006 issue of Executive Counsel magazine published an article (“Split in the Labor Movement Could Mean More Aggressive Unions”) by William Schurgin and Gary Glaser that examines the possible ramifications of the withdrawal of three of the largest unions from the AFL-CIO last July, 2005 at the AFL-CIO’s annual convention in Chicago.  The three breakaway unions joined with four others to form the Change to Win Coalition (CWC) which currently has six million members, more than one-third of all union members in the United States.

They note that the founders of the CWC felt that the AFL-CIO was too focused on its political agenda and not enough on organizing employees, which the CWC intends to emphasize. “It is likely that the AFL-CIO unions will feel pressure from this initiative and respond by increasing their own organizing efforts in order to stay competitive with the alternative model being developed by the CWC,” Bill and Gary write. “Thus it is very likely that the AFL-CIO split-up will result in more intense organizing efforts by organized labor throughout the country.”

Companies in certain industries are particularly vulnerable, Bill and Gary advise, primarily those with large nationwide workforces that cannot be shifted or moved outside the United States.  Other future developments they predict include increased use of anti-corporate campaigns, more aggressive union efforts at the bargaining table, and infighting between the AFL-CIO and the breakaway unions.  The possibility of union infighting should not lull employers into complacency, Bill and Gary caution.  “It is important for non-union employers to review their human resources policies, practices and procedures to ensure that they maintain a positive work environment. . . . Any employer who relies on the division among unions to justify less vigilance will likely have a very rude awakening.”