Labor Express for 7-31-05:
A 1 & 1/2 hour Labor Express special on the AFL-CIO Convention, including audio collected by Labor Express at the convention  as well as audio provided by Ken Nash of Building Bridges from New York & Steve Zeltzer of the KPFA Labor Collective in San Francisco.  See below for more info on Building Bridges.  For more info on the KPFA Labor Collective email… 
kpfalaborcollective@yahoo.com

Labor Express for 7-24-05:
The Sunday July 24th Episode of Labor Express focused on the debate over reform of the AFL-CIO.  Stewart Acuff, National Organizing Director for the AFL-CIO, explained the position of the current AFL-CIO leadership.  Alan Benjamin, Executive Board member of the San Francisco Labor Council, explained the third position in the debate which sees neither Sweeney's nor Stern's approach making the fundamental changes necessary to revive the labor movement.  This program includes a live in studio appearance by labor journalists Steve Zeltzer and Wes Brain.

The following audio files are "raw" unedited audio of convention events.  Feel free to utilize this audio but let us know if you plan to use it for broadcast, and please remember to credit Labor Express Radio...
(Please Note: To save server space and decrease download time, a number of these files were posted in LoFi MP3 format.  If you require a higher quality sound file, please contact us).

Change To Win Coalition Announces a Boycott of the Convention:
On Sunday afternoon, the members of the Change to Win Coalition announced that in their view the AFL-CIO leadership was not serious about reform and therefore, coalition member unions SEIU, UFCW, UNITE-HERE, and the Teamsters, would not participate in the convention.  Here is audio of their press conference.

Interview with Stewart Acuff:
Here is the full interview with Stewart Acuff, National Organizing Director of the AFL-CIO on the position of the Sweeney Leadership in the debate over reform of the AFL-CIO.  Only part of this interview was utilized for the July 24th episode of Labor Express.

Interview with Alan Benjamin:
Here is the full interview with Alan Benjamin, Executive Board member of the San Francisco Labor Council, explaining the third position in AFL-CIO debate, which sees neither Sweeney's nor Stern's approach making the fundamental changes necessary to revive the labor movement.  Only part of this interview was utilized for the July 24th episode of Labor Express.

Interview with Steve Zeltzer and Wes Brain:
After Sunday's broadcast I talked to Wes & Steve more about  their take on the likely AFL-CIO split, the Labor for Palestine Conference, the Anti Iraq War resolution, the resolution asking for funding for a labor TV and radio network, and the resolution asking for an end to NED funding for the Solidarity Center.

John Wilhelm:
UNITE-HERE President John Wilhelm discusses the reasons for the split from the AFL-CIO, and how it is likely to effect the labor movement.  UNITE-HERE is one of the members of the Change to Win Coalition.  Unlike SEIU and the Teamsters, Unite-HERE has not yet announced disaffiliation from the AFL-CIO but it is expected to do so in the near future. (Thanks to Steve Zeltzer and the KPFA Labor Radio Collective for allowing us to post this audio).

AFL-CIO Leaders respond to the split:
R. Thomas Buffenbarger, President of the Machinists (IAM), Michael Sullivan, President of the Sheet Metal Workers, Gerald W. McEntee, President of AFSCME, and Nat LaCour, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers answer questions on how the split will effect the labor movement.

Jerry Tucker, founder of the New Directions reform movement in the UAW, talks about union democracy and his take on the AFL-CIO split.

Dennis Gannon, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor discusses how the split will effect the Central Labor Councils.

Dave Foreman, President of the Associated Fire Fighters  of Illinois discusses his phone conversation with Melissa Bean on why she was voting for CAFTA.

Discussion on the Convention floor of Resolution 23--"Wake-Up Wal-Mart".

Check out WIN's (Worker's Independent News service) excellent coverage of the 2005 AFL-CIO Convention…