Change to Win Coalition

Change to Win Coalition
Name	Change to Win Coalition
Founded	2005
Type	Coalition of labor unions
Location	United States
Key people	Andrew Stern, Gordon Lafer, Anna Burger, Gerald McEntee
Predecessor	AFL–CIO
Ideology	Labor movement

Change to Win Coalition

The Change to Win Coalition formed in 2005 as a coalition of American labor unions that split from AFL–CIO to pursue alternative organizing strategies, combining leaders from unions such as the Service Employees International Union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. It emphasized concentrated organizing in sectors like healthcare, retail, and shipping, and aligned with political actors including Democratic Party officials and progressive advocacy groups. The coalition's emergence reshaped debates among major labor organizations such as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Laborers' International Union of North America.

History and Formation

In late 2004 and early 2005, leaders from the Service Employees International Union under Andrew Stern and dissident factions within the Teamsters and UFCW mobilized against policies of AFL–CIO president John Sweeney and later John J. Sweeney. Frictions mirrored earlier splits in American labor history involving the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the American Federation of Labor and echoed debates around organizing strategies seen in campaigns like Operation Dixie and the Coal Strike of 1902. The formal announcement in September 2005 came after a sequence of meetings with figures from Service Employees International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Laborers' International Union of North America, and SEIU affiliates, producing a manifesto that criticized the AFL–CIO's priorities and sought to reorient resources toward large-scale sectoral drives similar to historic efforts by Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers.

Member Unions and Structure

Founding members included the Service Employees International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Laborers' International Union of North America, and the Amalgamated Transit Union among others. Leadership roles featured prominent labor figures such as Anna Burger and Andrew Stern, and governing arrangements combined inter-union councils, regional directors, and campaign committees akin to structures used by the AFL–CIO and Change to Win contemporaries. Affiliated locals and pension boards interacted with national offices much like those in the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association, while partnerships extended to community organizations that had worked with ACORN and Jobs with Justice.

Goals and Strategy

The coalition prioritized large-scale organizing drives, seeking to redirect dues revenues into concentrated campaigns modeled in part on the organizing techniques of the United Auto Workers and sectoral approaches seen in European social democratic unions like British Trades Union Congress. Strategies emphasized targeted recruitment in healthcare, retail, meatpacking, hospitality, and warehouse sectors, coordinating with political actors such as the Democratic National Committee and labor-friendly legislators. The coalition advocated for legislation paralleling initiatives like the Employee Free Choice Act and supported bargaining frameworks similar to those under the National Labor Relations Act while pursuing community-labor alliances comparable to efforts by ACORN and faith-based partners such as PICO National Network.

Campaigns and Activities

High-profile campaigns included a series of organizing drives at national retailers and healthcare employers, multi-state efforts in California, Florida, New York, and Illinois and targeted actions against logistics and shipping firms that operate in ports influenced by unions like the International Longshoremen's Association. The coalition coordinated electoral mobilization during cycles involving 2008 and subsequent midterms, working alongside progressive political action committees and advocacy groups. It also engaged in public education, strikes, and bargaining tactics seen in historic disputes like the UPS strike of 1997 and leveraged media outreach similar to campaigns by MoveOn.org.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics accused coalition leaders of prioritizing growth metrics over rank-and-file concerns, echoing past debates involving Teamsters reformers and controversies in unions such as the United Mine Workers of America. Some labor scholars compared the split to earlier fissures like those between the AFL and CIO, arguing it fragmented collective bargaining power and electoral influence. Controversies arose over resource allocation, relationships with corporate actors, and coordination with political organizations, drawing scrutiny from commentators linked to National Review and labor policy analysts at institutions such as Economic Policy Institute.

Impact and Legacy

The coalition altered the balance of power within American labor politics, prompting reforms in organizing emphasis at the AFL–CIO and influencing subsequent union mergers and realignments involving entities like the Teamsters and SEIU locals. Its emphasis on sectoral organizing helped spur campaigns that affected employers in retail and healthcare, and its legacy endures in contemporary union strategies paralleling initiatives by the United Auto Workers and newer worker centers. Debates provoked by the coalition continue in academic settings at institutions like Harvard University and Columbia University, and in policy circles debating the future of labor law and union revitalization in the United States.

Category:Labor unions in the United States