WHEREAS:

            Every developed, democratic economy with a large middle class has a strong, vibrant independent trade union movement; and

WHEREAS:

            The growing interdependency of all the world's economies allows employers to pit one country's workers against other countries' workers; and

WHEREAS:

            President Clinton was elected to "put people first" and "make work pay," and unions "make work pay" and lift people out of poverty; and

WHEREAS:

Unions are workers' voice in improving the quality of work and how work is organized; and only with unions can workers share equitably in higher productivity and quality; and

WHEREAS:

            In our own country, past administrations have aided employers in an all-out assault on worker rights; and

WHEREAS:

            This assault on worker rights has coincided with a decline in our middle class, a rise in the ranks of the working poor and the uninsured, and falling productivity in many of our key industries; and

WHEREAS:

            This assault on worker rights has coincided with a complacency among our political and economic leaders with high levels of unemployment and under­employment and falling wages.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME will vigorously fight for federal labor law reforms, including the ban on permanent replacement of strikers, and restoring a level playing field for organizing and bargaining in both the private and public sectors; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME will work with civil rights organizations, anti-poverty advocates, the religious community, and progressive economists to publicize the link between strong unions, a strong economy, and a fair distribution of income; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME rejects a low-wage, no benefits, unorganized strategy for economic growth and for re-inventing government; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME will work with our brothers and sisters around the world to protect and promote high living standards in both developed and developing economies through strong independent trade union movements.

SUBMITTED BY:

J. Pat Thompson, Delegate
AFSCME Council 2 
Washington