Mcc-AFL

Rank-and-File Members should keep an eye on what will be happening now that Sweeney is stepping down as president of the AFL-CIO's

McCarron has merged all unions in Southern California. He later went to New York and created major disturbances. Is McCarron going to be the next President of the AFL-CIO? Under Dianne Feinstein, Richard Blum and Ron Tutor anything can be possible. Remember McCarron is their puppet, he does not have the capacity to be president of the organization. He is told what to do.

In 1992 when he was told he had to merge all unions, McCarron had to look in the dictionary the word "MERGE". That's how stupid and ignorant he really is.

Since Tutor and Blum have been part of our union, there have been major changes that do not benefit the members but does benefit their pocket books. We need to be cautious and stop Feinstein she has too much power.

Their plan is to make McCarron president at the last minute. If we want to take our union and have our own autonomy we need to get rid of Fenstein.

In the last mayoral elections McCarron created divisiveness by supporting Hahn, while labor supported Villaraigoza. Ronald N. Tutor was also a supporter of Hahn, giving him $75,000.00 in contributions. Tutor sent out flyers that said Villaraigoza would support gang members and was a communist.

We should unite and start our fight against Feinstein's and her boldness, she is our Union's worst enemy.

Changes rumored in Los Angeles and National AFL-CIO leaderships

-L.A. Labor News exclusive-
by Jim Smith
L.A. Labor News

By the end of the year, both AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Executive Secretary-Treasurer Miguel Contreras may be part of labor history if persistent rumors prove true.
Rumors are circulating at the 16th Street headquarters of the AFL-CIO that John Sweeney will step down at the upcoming convention in favor of John Wilhelm of the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees (HERE). If true, Sweeney's choice is sure to be opposed by supporters of the more progressive Rich Trumka, who is currently national secretary-treasurer, the second most powerful office in the AFL-CIO. The elevation of Wilhelm, who made his name organizing Las Vegas casinos (I'm not making this up), could raise new questions about the viability of the U.S. labor federation.

John Sweeney's big plans for a more agressive labor movement have floundered on the rocks of international union bureaucracies that have been unwilling to implement organizing programs urged on them by the AFL-CIO (see John Judis article "Labor's Love Lost). The defection of the Carpenters' Union is just the latest of Sweeney's woes.

Failed election strategy dogs Contreras
Meanwhile, a growing number of L.A. labor leaders say they have had enough of what they call County Federation head Miguel Contreras' "highhanded methods." Smoldering unrest was ignited after his successful effort to steamroll an endorsement of mayoralty candidate Antonio Villaraigoza through a badly divided labor leadership and rank-and-file (a majority of union members voted for James Hahn according to an L.A. Times exit poll).

The political insiders' newsletter, CALPEEK, says there are two potential challengers to Contreras: Laborer's Local 300 business manager Sergio Rascon and west coast UAW leader Al Ybarra. Some observers doubt that Rascon would take a cut in pay to become head of the fed, however, Ybarra seems to be a solid candidate with broad-based support.

CALPEEK speculates that the opposition to Contreras would come in his next election, but labor activists know that when a change of leadership is needed often no one waits around for an election. More likely, the fed's executive board would find a face-saving way for Contreras to step down.