Labor's Voice for Change (18) March 17, 2009

WHY HAS LABOR BEEN SILENT TO SUMMERS’ CHARGE
THAT UNIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT?

BY HARRY KELBER

On March 11, I spotted a full-page ad in The New York Times that
featured a statement by Larry Summers, President Obama’s chief
economic adviser, which said: “Another cause of long-term
unemployment is unionization.” Moreover, the ad contained an
explicit attack on the Employee Free Choice Act, which had been
introduced in the House and Senate the previous day.

Since I thought that many labor leaders had not seen the Times ad, I
described it in my weekly column the next day, including Summers'
exact words and the attack on EFPC. I made sure the information
reached most influential labor leaders. I was convinced that the
AFL-CIO and CTW would respond to a damaging attack by a top-tier
economist,who linked unemployment and unions. At the very least, they
would ask Summers to explain his statement. To my surprise and
puzzlement, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney did not respond to the
Summers’ charge, Nor did any of the 43 members of the Executive
Council. Nor any of the seven leaders of Change to Win. Nor the
editors of Labor Notes. Nor the International Labor Communications
Association (ILCA). In fact, the Summers’ remarks were dismissed as
though they had never been uttered.

Thus, the several hundred thousand readers of The New York Times were
led to believe, by extension, that unions cause layoffs, because no
labor leader has come forward to challenge Summers. Having Summers’
name appear in the same ad that contains an attack on EFCA should be a
source of concern, but apparently, it is not.

AFL-CIO’s Policy of Silence to Criticism Is Self-Defeating

AFL-CIO’s top leaders have a long-established policy of not
responding to criticism. They can ignore unfavorable comments from
union members because it won’t affect their certainty of being
re-elected. But when they remain silent about the lies and half-truths
directed against them, the public becomes convinced that all the
terrible things that are said about unions and their leaders must be
true.

We need leaders who can not only refute the arguments of anti-union
propagandists, but can make a strong, convincing case that unions play
a constructive role in our economy and our society.

There are some union members who say that we should avoid criticism,
no matter how justified, because “washing our dirty linen in public"
helps our enemies. Well, we’re never going to have a clean union
unless it’s periodically washed by the members. It makes no sense to
keep members in the dark and deny them an input role for fear that the
employer might find a few facts about the union (which he probably
already knows),

The best course for union leaders is to be straight with their
members and win their confidence by doing so. In the last analysis, no
struggle can be won or be secured without the participation of the
rank-and-file.

What the AFL-CIO Needs Are New Leaders
With Fresh Ideas and an Inspiring Vision!

Article 19 of “Labor’s Voice for Change” will be posted on
Thursday, March 19.