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UAW Endorses John Sweeney For AFL-CIO President

The United Auto Workers has come out for incumbent John Sweeney in the battle for the presidency of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest and most visible labor organization.

Ron Gettelfinger, UAW president, said Thursday that the union had decided to stick with Sweeney on the basis of his strong record.

"Throughout his life, John Sweeney has fought with courage and conviction on behalf of workers and their unions." said Gettelfinger. "As AFL-CIO president, John Sweeney has been unafraid to try new strategies and approaches for strengthening the labor movement. He is a leader who listens to and respects the concerns and ideas of the AFL-CIO's member unions, and he has actively encouraged a lively, open and much-needed debate on the future of the labor movement.

"During this debate, President Sweeney has focused squarely on issues and on doing what's in the best interest of workers and their families, refusing to be drawn into divisive personal squabbles. He believes in reaching out and bringing people together, not driving them apart," Gettelfinger continued.

The UAW's endorsement complicates life for the group of unions that want to replace Sweeney, 71, with a new leader committed to a more aggressive reform agenda that includes encouraging smaller unions to merge. Leaders of the block campaigning to remove Sweeney include the Service Employees International Union and the Teamsters.

The UAW's announcement increases the likelihood that the unions opposed to Sweeney retaining the AFL-CIO presidency will not be able to replace the incumbent with someone such as John Wilhelm of the United Food & Commercial Workers.

Gettelfinger noted The UAW has supported important reform proposals within the AFL-CIO to help create a stronger and more effective labor federation. "While different unions approach the challenges we face from different perspectives, we believe it's important to focus on what unites us."

The UAW president noted that all unions are united in demanding an end to the kind of abuses in American workplaces which deny workers a free choice about whether to join a union.

"We are united in our belief that working families must have an effective voice in the political process. We are united in recognizing that today's global economy demands a global labor movement that can fight for workplace democracy and rising living standards for all workers, no matter where they live. John Sweeney is a leader on all these issues; that's why our union is proud to support him for re-election," said Gettelfinger.

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