AFL-CIO election races: Junemann out, Kelber in

Mark Gruenberg

28 Jul 2009

Press Associates, Inc.

There will still be a race at the AFL-CIO convention this September in Pittsburgh, but it won’t be for one of the labor federation’s top three slots. Instead, it will be an insurgent challenge for a seat on the Executive Council.

    The only top-of-the-ticket race disappeared July 22.  Professional and Technical Engineers President Greg Junemann dropped his bid for the fed’s #2 job of Secretary-Treasurer and endorsed the slate headed by incumbent S-T Richard Trumka, who is running for president, and IBEW official Elizabeth Shuler, who seeks Trumka’s job.

    But longtime labor activist and occasional goad Harry Kelber, now in his 90s, has announced another bid for a seat on the council -- and he plans to raise financial issues.

    After a private meeting with Trumka, Junemann said the slate promised to “address the financial issues” that Junemann discussed in announcing his bid.  The federation’s budget is millions of dollars in the red.  “We need financial stability, and a labor federation transparent and responsive to its affiliates.  But most importantly, we need to come together, to be one unified House of Labor,” Junemann said.

    Shuler praised Junemann, adding: “It is a tribute he stepped forward to raise these issues as a serious candidate, and it is a tribute that he put aside that candidacy in the interest of unity.”  Shuler said she plans to work with Junemann and other presi-dents “to make the AFL-CIO an efficient organization and effective voice” for workers.

    The financial issues that Kelber, editor of the Labor Educator, is raising in his bid include the deficit, plus pay and pensions for Trumka, retiring President John Sweeney and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, who seeks re-election on the slate.

    “Trumka’s prime job…was to maintain integrity and solvency of federation finances.  Yet, net assets of the AFL-CIO dropped from $66 million in 2000 to negative $2.3 million in June 2008.  How does he answer to the charges of wasteful spending and negligence?  And how does Trumka justify a 44% increase, $74,000, in four years
-- 2005-2009 -- on top of his official $165,000 salary?” Kelber asked.