WHEREAS:

The unionized proportion of the workforce continues to decline alarmingly, to a low point currently of 16.4%; and

WHEREAS:

Employers are taking ever greater advantage of the anti-union tilt of the National Labor Relations Board, which has continued under President Bush, to intimidate and discriminate against workers who seek to unionize; and

WHEREAS:

Survey research has proven that over 60% of all American workers desire a union at their jobs, so it is evident that employers are thwarting majority wishes by their tactics; and

WHEREAS:

Although organizing techniques have been updated to meet the challenge, partly through the innovations of AFSCME, and the means of successful organizing are widely known in the labor movement, most unions devote few resources to the task, averaging less than 3% of dues for organizing; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME stands out in contrast, both by devoting substantial resources, and by demonstrating success through significant growth, year after year; and

WHEREAS:

If the rest of the labor movement shrinks even more, even AFSCME's own growth will be insufficient to immunize our members from the destructive impact of union-busting, which will spread to our current employers who would be able to attack the standards we have worked so hard to establish.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME continue to devote increasing resources to organizing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls upon the rest of the labor movement to transform rhetorical commitments to organizing into reality, by

1. Increasing organizing budgets,
2. Renewing efforts to organize in unions' own traditional jurisdictions,
3. Making real reform of labor law (equalizing access, prohibiting intimidation, and speeding up the process) a criterion for political endorsement, and
4. Demanding that President Bush replace biased NLRB members with appointees committed to restoring fairness to the process.

SUBMITTED BY:

International Executive Board