State and Local Bodies: The Heart of the Union Movement

by Seth Michaels, Sep 16, 2009

IUPAT President James Williams challenged unions across the country, locally and nationally, to fully support state and local bodies.

Today’s theme at the 2009 AFL-CIO Convention is “The Power of Many,” and in support of a strong movement across the country, members approved a resolution to step up involvement with state federations and central labor councils.

Resolution 8 encourages leadership development and training, attention to diversity, alliances with community organizations, accountability and transparency at the state and local levels, as well as the continued pursuit of solidarity charters to keep all unions engaged and unified in pursuit of a pro-worker agenda.

AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker said everyone in the union movement benefits from the strength of state and local bodies:

Today we’ll discuss the power of many at the grassroots level—what it means to us and how we make the most of it.

One of the unique and most powerful advantages of the AFL-CIO is that we have a presence in every state and in more than 500 communities across our country—nobody can match that…at the grassroots, there may be no more important work than this.

James Williams, president of the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), challenged unions across the country, locally and nationally, to fully support state and local bodies:

These organizations are on the front lines. The mobilization, the education and organization that we need to win elections and hold politicians accountable—it happens in the grassroots.

The resolution on supporting state and local bodies is the most important business of the convention, said James Andrews, president of the North Carolina State AFL-CIO.

It is about developing the grassroots network of our unions in every community, to be the effective mobilization, legislation and political operation of our movement in the communities where workers live, work and vote.

Among the many delegates standing in support of the resolution, Liz Powell, a Postal Workers (APWU) member, said the future of the union movement depends upon energy and engagement at the grassroots level. She called on national unions to affiliate with state and local bodies and for local union members to step up and take active leadership roles in those bodies.

As many of the speakers noted, state and local activism and mobilization has been critical in turning around states and electing President Barack Obama and pro-worker senators, House members, governors and more, as well as providing critical support to workers and organizing campaigns.

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