Abstract

Winds of Change In Big Labor

The A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s fifteenth biennial convention offered ample evidence that labor has begun to respond to the challenge on all fronts: organization, politics, social and foreign policy. As yet, changes in organizing strategy have come more from the top than from the bottom. Some internationals now bypass the U.S. National Labor Relations Board altogether in their organizing campaigns. The Food and Commercial Workers in particular make heavy use of local radio and television commercials. One of the most potentially far-reaching changes in organizing strategy adopted at the convention was the decision to accept associate members. These are workers the federation wants to enroll even though they are not contractually represented by member unions.