Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Labor Unions Split From AFL-CIO, Democrat Establishment



Labor Unions Split From AFL-CIO, Democrat Establishment
by Jen Lawrence 16 May 2016
The leader of a major union is accusing Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, of betraying union members to please a major environmentalist donor.

Terry O’Sullivan, general president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), scolded Trumka for “selling [the AFL-CIO’s] political agenda to a job killing hedge fund manager with a bag of cash.”

The letter is a response to the AFL-CIO’s new partnership with the billionaire environmentalist and hedge-fund manager, Tom Steyer.

Steyer and Trumka have formed a new Super PAC, titled For Our Future Super PAC. The PAC will be used by both Steyer and Trumka, in conjunction with the AFL-CIO, to bolster Democrat campaigns across the country in 2016. Steyer has promised to match all contributions that unions put into the PAC.

Seven other presidents of North America’s Building Trades Unions got together to send a second letter to Trumka in response to the partnership with Steyer. The group says it represents over 3 million skilled workers in the United States and Canada.

In the letter sent to Trumka, the representatives for the building trade union group said they will not contribute to the For Our Future PAC and pushed the AFL-CIO to rethink their relationship with Steyer, who has a history of killing jobs under the banner of environmentalism.

According to the Washington Post, Sullivan wrote in his personal letter to Trumka, “with your blessing and support, Tom Steyer has purchased the backing, prestige, and control of the AFL-CIO, and will now use it to advance his own agenda, promote his own views, and further his own political ambitions.”

“This scheme is the logical outcome of an obsession with, and a desire to throw open the doors of labor to, outside organizations that are completely out of touch with the needs and concerns of ordinary, blue-collar working Americans,” Sullivan wrote to Trumka. The LIUNA union claims it has 500,000 members.

Years of financial distress have left the A.F.L.-C.I.O. desperate for cash, and it appears that the answer is to sell out to a billionaire who not only has little or no stake in our movement, our members or their work but who has actively fought against our members’ interest.

The For Our Future Super PAC will be run by Paul Tewes, a Democratic political operative who worked as a political director for President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Tewes’ appointment is especially troubling to the building trades because of his extensive work against the Keystone XL pipeline, whose construction would have employed thousands of union workers. Steyer and many other environmentalists strongly opposed the pipeline.

Paul Tewes
Paul Tewes is a co-founder for the Hildebrand Tewes Consulting Inc. and an adviser for Know Your Care.

Note: Steve Hildebrand is a co-founder for the Hildebrand Tewes Consulting Inc., and was a director at the New Leadership for America PAC.
Tom Daschle is the chairman for the New Leadership for America PAC, the chairman for the Center for American Progress, the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration, Anita B. Dunn was his senior political adviser, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).     
Tom Daschle
Daschle is chairman of New Leadership for America, a political action committee which he established in 2005 to help Democratic leaders to public office.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Economic Policy Institute.
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, was a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and an investor in Catalist.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Economic Policy Institute, and the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Thomas F. Steyer is a director at the Center for American Progress.
Lawrence H. Summers is a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama administration, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Susan E. Rice was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is the White House national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a stockholder in the TransCanada Corporation.
TransCanada Corporation is the proposed builder for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Anita B. Dunn produced ad campaign for the Keystone XL pipeline, was Tom Daschle’s senior political adviser, a communications director for the Barack Obama administration, and is a managing director for SKDKnickerbocker.
Alex Slater was a managing director for SKDKnickerbocker, and a managing director at the Glover Park Group.
Glover Park Group is the lobby firm for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Cecile Richards is the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, married to Kirk Adams, and was the founder & president for America Votes.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is a national partner with America Votes.
Kirk Adams is married to Cecile Richards, a board of manager’s member for Catalist, an international EVP for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and was an organizing director for the AFL-CIO.
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a national partner with America Votes.
AFL-CIO is a national partner with America Votes, and a Catalist client.
Siff & Lake LLP was the lobby firm for the AFL-CIO, and the Laborers International Union of North America.
Richard L. Trumka is the president of the AFL-CIO, and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.
Paul Ryan is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a member & speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives, was a recipient of "Defender of the American Dream" award from the Americans for Prosperity, and a guest at the Koch Industries annual conference.
David H. Koch was a donor for the Americans for Prosperity, is the chairman for the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the EVP for Koch Industries.
Americans for Prosperity Foundation is an affiliated group with the Americans for Prosperity.
Koch Industries is the sponsor for the Koch Industries annual conference.
Siff & Lake LLP was the lobby firm for Koch Industries, the Laborers International Union of North America, and the AFL-CIO.
Richard L. Trumka is the president of the AFL-CIO, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and was a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
Penny S. Pritzker was a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, the national finance chair, fundraiser for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a co-chair for the 2009 Barack Obama inaugural committee, a fundraiser, national co-chair for the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a contributor for the 2013 Barack Obama inaugural committee, the host for the Barack Obama fund-raising dinner, 7/2/2008, Craig M. Robinson’s basketball coach for the children's team,  the secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Michelle Obama is Craig M. Robinson’s sister, and was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago. 
Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory A-Z (Past Research)
Tuesday, December 17, 2013       
James S. Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), the chairman for the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, the EVP for Koch Industries, and was a donor for the Americans for Prosperity.
Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago. 
Newton N. Minow is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP, and is the president for the Barack Obama administration.
Rahm I. Emanuel was the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, is the Chicago (IL) mayor, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and Ezekiel Emanuel’s brother.
Ezekiel Emanuel was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration, is Rahm I. Emanuel’s brother, and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
Thomas F. Steyer is a director at the Center for American Progress.
Tom Daschle is the chairman for the Center for American Progress, the chairman for the New Leadership for America PAC, was the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration, Anita B. Dunn was his senior political adviser, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).     
Steve Hildebrand was a director at the New Leadership for America PAC, and a co-founder for the Hildebrand Tewes Consulting Inc.
Paul Tewes is a co-founder for the Hildebrand Tewes Consulting Inc., and an adviser for Know Your Care.
Neera Tanden is a co-founder for Know Your Care, and the president for the Center for American Progress.
Thomas F. Steyer is a director at the Center for American Progress.
Melody C. Barnes was the SVP for the Center for American Progress, a domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, a principal for the Raben Group, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.
Raben Group was the lobby firm for Change to Win.
James P. Hoffa is a leadership council member for Change to Win, and the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Arturo S. Rodriguez is a leadership council member for Change to Win, and the president of the United Farm Workers.
Tom Woodruff is a leadership council member for Change to Win, and the EVP for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Eliseo Medina is a leadership council member for Change to Win, and the secretary-treasurer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU),
Anna Burger was the chair for Change to Win, the secretary-treasurer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.
Mary Kay Henry is a leadership council member for Change to Win, the president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.
Geralyn Lutty is a leadership council member for Change to Win, and an international VP for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
Joseph T. Hansen is a founding chairman for Change to Win, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, was the president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
Richard L. Trumka is a director at the Economic Policy Institute, the president of the AFL-CIO, was a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, and a director at the BlueGreen Alliance.
Terence M. O'Sullivan was a director at the BlueGreen Alliance.
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.
Paul Ryan is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a member & speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives, was a recipient of "Defender of the American Dream" award from the Americans for Prosperity, and a guest at the Koch Industries annual conference.

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