New York City Central Labor Council:

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lane Windham (202)637-5018

AFL-CIO Proposes to Leadership to Unite Local Labor Movements through New
Solidarity Charters Proposal Creates Innovative Charters to Allow Locals of
Disaffiliated Unions to Rejoin
Movement

(Washington,August 11) -- AFL-CIO President John Sweeney announced a
new proposal to help unite the grassroots power of the union movement through
innovative Solidarity Charters for locals of recently disaffiliated unions. He
is asking members of the AFL-CIO Executive Council to approve this plan.

"It's not these locals' fault that their national unions left the AFL-CIO, and
it's not working people's fault. They shouldn't have to bear the brunt of a 
decision by their leadership," said Sweeney. "Solidarity Charters will allow 
unions to work together and let working people still benefit from a united 
grassroots movement that works for good jobs, healthcare, and a voice in 
issues that matter to them."

The AFL-CIO came up with the Solidarity Charters after locals of disaffiliated
unions contacted the national AFL-CIO over the weeks since its convention and
expressed a desire to remain in the AFL-CIO at the local level. The AFL-CIO 
Constitution is clear that if a union leaves the national AFL-CIO, they also 
leave the AFL-CIO at the locallevel. Two weeks ago, delegates to the AFL-CIO 
convention discussed the need to find a creative solution to support the 
grassroots labor movement.

"These Solidarity Charters will allow unions in New York to continue to work
together and maintain a united front to fight for working people's issues," 
said Denis Hughes, President of the New York State AFL-CIO. "I'm pleased that 
our locals have this unique option."

Under the new Solidarity Charters, if a local union of a disaffiliated union
wants to be part of a united local movement in their city and state, they can
apply to be part of the central labor council (clc) or state federation. They 
will sign up with the same level of membership they had before their union 
left the AFL-CIO, or sign up at the average membership level for that city 
or state, whichever is higher. They will also pay a 10 percent solidarity 
fee to the labor council or state federation to help offset the cost of 
services and mobilization systems provided by the national AFL-CIO and 
supported by its affiliated unions. The solidarity fee will go into the 
Solidarity Fund established at the convention that helps support local 
bodies affected by the unions' decision to leave the Federation.

Locals who receive Solidarity Charters will need to honor basic principles 
of solidarity. They will agree not to raid their brother and sister unions,
participate fully in the local political mobilization efforts, and support 
other working people in their area who are on strike, organizing, or in 
other struggles. Unions will have the same voting rights as other locals--
except that members of unions with a Solidarity Charter can't hold top 
offices, except that individuals already in office can finish out their 
terms. The Executive Council is expected to finish deciding whether to 
approve the Solidarity Charters within the next several days, and they 
could become effective in September.

Local unions who are part of the Teamsters, UFCW, SEIU and Carpenters are 
all eligible for Solidarity Charters.