Ohio Fed Backs Trumka For AFL-CIO Top Job; Unity Talks Continue
COLUMBUS, Ohio (PAI)--Though the race for the AFL-CIO’s top job -- if there will be a race -- hasn’t officially started, the Ohio AFL-CIO made the first move, backing Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka to succeed retiring President John J. Sweeney.
The decision on who will take the top job will occur at the AFL-CIO convention, Sept. 13-14 in Pittsburgh. Another big issue there will be progress in unity talks between the AFL-CIO, Change To Win and the independent National Education Association. NEA, with 3.2 million members, is the nation’s largest union.
American Rights At Work President David Bonior, who is mediating those talks, told Press Associates that “there will probably not be” a definitive agreement by the convention “because it takes time to shop it around to those unions not in the talks.
And there are structural issues, especially involving the NEA, where there are constitutional issues involved.” He hosted another session in the first week of June.
The Ohio state fed, whose unions have 700,000 members, unanimously backed Trumka at its May 29 executive board meeting, state fed President Joe Rugola said.
“Those of us who know Rich believe he is the clear choice to lead the American labor movement through these most difficult times. Rich is the most articulate and passionate voice for the middle class and working families in the country today,” Rugola declared.
The Ohio fed also expects Trumka “to lead an aggressive bottom-up program to rebuild the American labor movement and to restore it to its role as the preeminent advocate for all working families,” their statement added.