AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, left, talks with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington.

LOS ANGELES -- Union leaders hope to parlay their members' Campaign 2000 grass-roots activism into solid legislative results, even if Republicans hold both houses of Congress, reports a wire service.

On a host of big issues ranging from campaign finance reform to a new ergonomics standard and an increase in the minimum wage, the challenge is daunting.

Despite the AFL-CIO's largest-ever mobilization effort last November, labor's favored man -- Al Gore -- didn't win the White House.

Still, national union leaders who concluded a winter policy meeting here Thursday voiced determination to resist unpalatable programs pushed by President Bush and the GOP congressional leadership.

"What we feel pretty strongly about, and what I hope we learned in this last election, was that grass-roots activity works," said Andrew Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union.

Snapshots of coming fights include:

-- Paycheck protection. Among the first face-offs will involve an overhaul of campaign finance law. A bill by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is expected to be considered next month, and some Republicans, including Bush, want to add a provision requiring unions to get approval from each member before using his or her dues for political activities.

Unions say if they're required to do so, then publicly traded companies should be required to get their shareholders' approval for such activity. Stern said that could be so complicated that it probably wouldn't work.

Another target is a McCain-Feingold provision that would in effect block unions and corporations from running issue advertising. But issue advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association and Planned Parenthood still could use their membership money to run such ads, said AFL-CIO Legislative Director Bill Samuel.

Unions also oppose raising campaign contribution limits.

"It's a pretty scary thought," Stern said. "I don't think many of our janitors could give the next thousand dollars, but I bet you Bill Gates doesn't blink."

-- Ergonomics. In October, businesses will have to inform their workers about the potential for workplace ailments and how they can report them, part of a new federal rule aimed at preventing musculoskeletal disorders. It eventually would require companies to adjust work stations, and employees with work-related injuries would have to receive medical attention and time off with pay.

Employer groups are challenging the new rules in court, and businesses are pressing Bush and Congress to rescind them.

"We are gearing up to fight and defend these protections," said Peg Seminario, AFL-CIO director of safety and health. "It really is the most significant safety and health protection ever issued because the problem is so big."

-- Minimum wage. The AFL-CIO supports a bill sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. David Bonior, D-Mich., that would raise the minimum wage by $1.50 over three years, Samuel said.

Bush has said he would support an increase if states can opt out.

"That's totally unacceptable," said Samuel, saying such an option eventually would erode the minimum wage.

Minimum wage opponents have used similar tactics in the past, trying to exempt small businesses in 1996 and trying to add overtime protections last year, said Christine Owens, AFL-CIO deputy director of public policy.

"These are folks who have always opposed the minimum wage and this is a way of trying to get at it through the back door," she said.

-- Maneuvering at the state level. Unions will turn to states for much of the political activity in the coming two years. A big focus will be on governor's races and legislative issues in particular states.

-- On the North American Free Trade Agreement, union leaders on Thursday approved a resolution opposing a trade dispute panel's decision that could lead to opening America's borders to Mexican trucks.

(First Story)

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February 16, 2001

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