NEA Members: Here Comes the AFL-CIO Recruiter
Kathleen Casavant stepped down from her position as secretary-treasurer of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO to become the assistant director of organizing at the national AFL-CIO's Unity Partnership Team.
So what? Well, Casavant's primary mission will be to encourage teachers and their locals to join AFL-CIO's central labor councils (CLCs) in 13 states, including Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
''I will be going around the country talking to unionized teachers and bringing them into the AFL-CIO," Casavant told the Boston Globe.
Funny, I thought this whole partnership thing was only to grease the skids for NEA locals who were dying to get into CLCs. Now we hear the financially strapped AFL-CIO has set up an entire national apparatus to recruit NEA members into the federation.
Fortunately, delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly will have an opportunity to vote on this whole AFL-CIO relationship. Oh wait a minute. That's right. No, they won’t.
So what? Well, Casavant's primary mission will be to encourage teachers and their locals to join AFL-CIO's central labor councils (CLCs) in 13 states, including Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
''I will be going around the country talking to unionized teachers and bringing them into the AFL-CIO," Casavant told the Boston Globe.
Funny, I thought this whole partnership thing was only to grease the skids for NEA locals who were dying to get into CLCs. Now we hear the financially strapped AFL-CIO has set up an entire national apparatus to recruit NEA members into the federation.
Fortunately, delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly will have an opportunity to vote on this whole AFL-CIO relationship. Oh wait a minute. That's right. No, they won’t.
Well I have to say I am not surprised. As a 30 year NEA member, in my opinion, this thing smelled from the start. I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part that when I get to the NEA Rep Assembly this summer as a delegate, there will be an attempt by some delegates to initiate some action to overturn this thing - not that they will be successful, of course. I am guessing NEA President Reg Weaver will rule any such action attempt as out of order. But I would love to listen to some debate....debate in which we as members were never invited to participate.
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May 08, 2006 5:14 PM
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