4 million votes, $30 million leave Dem pockets

[dukestreetking]

Those four unions represent one-third of the AFL-CIO's 13 million members. The SEIU and Teamsters alone account for more than $20 million of an estimated $120 million AFL-CIO budget.

Much of that money goes to Democratic candidates and to political operations that benefit the Democratic Party. Stern, Hoffa and their colleagues in the Change to Win Coalition pushed the AFL-CIO to shift focus from such political activity to recruiting new union members, contending that a growing union movement would naturally increase its political and bargaining power.

"They said no," Hoffa said at a coalition news conference held a few blocks from the AFL-CIO convention site. "Their idea is to keep throwing money at politicians."


Democratic politicians catch most of the AFL-CIO donations, one reason why party leaders worry about a weakened federation. The AFL-CIO also spends millions of dollars on programs that help get Democratic voters to turn out on Election Day.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050726/ap_on_bi_ge/labor_rift

[pinky]

Others welcomed the challenge to the status quo. "The approach represented by progressive reform organizations like the SEIU represents the future — they grow in size, they have fresh ideas, they understand message in the media age, they connect with the middle class," said Democratic strategist Chris Lehane. "These groups are on the right side of history."Not all Democrats are concerned.

[Orthy11]

Not all Democrats are concerned.

only the 25% or so that pay attention..

[pinky]

Whatever. It's not a logical assumption that the members of these unions will stop voting Democrat.

It also remains to be seen whether or not their leaders will cease making political contributions.