Tough Challenges Face Workers This Year

Sen. Ted Kennedy

Rep.Dick Gephardt

AFL-CIO President Sweeny

Sen. Paul Wellstone

Rep. Danny Davis

Over 1,600 UAW local union leaders carried the political concerns of their members to the 2001 UAW Community Action Program (CAP) conference in February in Washington, D.C.

Opening night speeches by UAW President Stephen P. Yokich and U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., which were reported in the March issue of Solidarity, set an enthusiastic tone for the conference.

For four days, delegates discussed issues and listened to top political, labor, and media leaders. “We’re not willing to compromise on worker rules, the TEAM Act, so-called paycheck deception, campaign finance reform, or trade policy,” House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., told delegates.

AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney spoke on the challenges facing the labor movement. He cited a four-point test by which workers should evaluate President Bush and the new Congress.

1. Will they respect work--by raising the minimum wage, expanding and enforcing equal pay laws, protecting the rights of workers on the job, and strengthening our health and safety laws?
2. Will they work to strengthen families--by guaranteeing our seniors reliable retirement income, improved Medicare benefits, and prescription drug coverage?
3. Will they advance democracy at home by supporting the freedom of all workers to join or form unions and by drying up the tide of corporate money that is polluting our political system?
4. Will they fight for fairness in the global economy?

“And believe me,” Sweeney said, “the answers better be, ‘Yes, yes, yes and yes.’”

Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., a tireless advocate for social justice, spoke on the importance of education for all children, rich or poor.

“You can take a spark of learning, and if you ignite it, it will lead to a lifetime of creativity and success,” Wellstone said.

Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., who had a 100-percent voting record with the UAW in 2000, told delegates that “the drums are rumbling” and to prepare for many challenges ahead.

“Has there been too much progress?” he asked. “My grandmother used to say that you can’t get carried away with what you’ve already done because you must continue to work for what is needed,” Davis said.

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