Interfaith Worker Justice - Post-AFL-CIO Breakup Issues

Post-AFL-CIO Breakup Issues

The disaffiliation of several AFL-CIO unions in 2005 led to several significant problems for IWJ. Over half of IWJ's Seminary Summer students worked with unions that split from the AFL-CIO. The split forced the AFL-CIO to halve its donations to IWJ. The split also significantly impaired the ability of the AFL-CIO's state and central labor bodies to conduct their work. IWJ relied heavily on these bodies for staff and money; the bodies also sponsored the IWJ/AFL-CIO annual "Labor in the Pulpit/on the Bimah/in the Minbar" program placed pro-union speakers in houses of worship during Labor Day weekend.

Some of these issues were resolved in late 2006. In August 2006, the AFL-CIO executive council approved a resolution permitting the organization to formalize ties with worker centers, worker assistance groups, and other pro-labor organizations. In December 2006, the AFL-CIO signed a partnership agreement with Interfaith Worker Justice which renewed the AFL-CIO's support for IWJ. The partnership agreement was labeled "mostly symbolic" but initiated state and local planning efforts for ongoing and new programs.