Unions Rake In Record Cash for Campaigns

. Unions Rake In Record Cash for Campaigns
By Jill Lawrence


Washington - A year after six unions bolted from the AFL-CIO and formed their own federation, the two camps are raising record amounts of political money and seeking ways to do joint campaign work this fall.

Conflicts over how to expand the union movement led the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Teamsters and four other unions to secede from the AFL-CIO. Along with the Carpenters union, which had already left, they formed a new, 6-million-member federation, Change to Win.

Labor Comes Together: Revamped Unions Rev Up Activity

Between Jan. 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, federal reports show, major unions in both groups raised more money than they did for the last non-presidential campaign in 2002:

  • The main SEIU political action committee and five local SEIU PACs raised about $15 million to give to candidates, a 62% increase.

  • The main PAC for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), part of the AFL-CIO, has raised $9.1 million, a 39% increase.

Nationally, the AFL-CIO and Change to Win are on track to spend considerably more than the $35 million the AFL-CIO spent in 2002 to register, educate and turn out union voters.

The AFL-CIO says it plans to spend $40 million this year on such efforts in 21 states. Change to Win plans a similar program and higher spending than 2002, but Chairwoman Anna Burger would not give a figure. The two groups are in talks to coordinate outreach to union voters.

While the AFL-CIO may have a "short-term loss of synergy," says William Miller, political director for the US Chamber of Commerce, competition could strengthen unions just as it does businesses. "They will continue to be a formidable adversary," he says.

Records show the Chamber's PAC raised slightly more money - $151,000 compared with $123,000 - in the past 18 months than it did for the same period four years ago.

AFSCME President Gerald McEntee says workers are highly motivated for this year's campaigns, in part because the GOP-controlled Congress has not raised the minimum wage.

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