Clinton, Obama Race Dividing Labor Unions
According to Republican America:
Hillary Clinton's union allies in the AFL-CIO unsuccessfully tried to change the rules to give her a boost, a move that presages more fighting in the house of labor, which is divided between her and Barack Obama.
Before the New York senator's comeback victories in Texas and Ohio this week, Gerald McEntee, head of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, pitched AFL-CIO union leaders and President John Sweeney about relaxing the two-thirds vote requirement for an endorsement.
Opponents said that would split the AFL-CIO's 56 member unions, weakening their clout. McEntee was forced to back off.
"We didn't have the so-called magic number," McEntee said. "We are pressing for individual unions to endorse her and provide soldiers, boots on the ground."
Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, an AFL-CIO affiliate, was among those who opposed lowering the threshold.
"Beyond those unions who initiated the discussion, there was zero appetite among the AFL-CIO's executive council to change the federation's long-standing endorsement policy in order to jam an endorsement for a candidate," he said.
Change to Win, a rival labor federation, is putting financial and organizational muscle behind Obama. That's rekindling some of the animosity left from when Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern led the charge to form Change to Win three years ago after a dispute with Sweeney...click to continue.
