John Sweeney is the president of the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations, which makes him the de facto leader of America’s labour movement. Echoing the Cold War consensus leadership of past American labour leaders, Sweeney’s positions on present U.S. foreign policy and the upcoming elections should be critically noted in the following interview.

Seven Oaks editor Stephen Hui asked Sweeney seven questions by email.

1. What is the state of the labour movement in the United States?

Today’s unions represent 13 million working women and men of every race and ethnicity, and from every walk of life. Despite the difficult challenges our nation has undergone in the last couple of years, through the AFL-CIO, workers and unions have continued to combine strength and work together to improve the lives of America’s working families. The labour movement continues to fight for fairness and dignity in the workplace, and secure social and economic equity in our nation.

2. What is the greatest threat to U.S. workers?

Right now, America’s jobs crisis tops the list. America needs good, quality jobs. America needs jobs that pay a living wage with benefits. Currently, 44 million Americans are without health care. There aren’t enough jobs, and the jobs that are being created pay 20 per cent less than the old ones. This means that there is a widening gap between the haves and have nots, and America is losing our middle class.

3. How have 9/11 and the ‘war on terrorism’ affected workers’ rights?

Many union members lost their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. Union men and women were among the first responders to those attacks, and many of our brothers and sisters are on the front lines in the military campaign against terrorists. It is important that we invest in boosting our domestic defences here at home, and in the long run nothing will make our nation stronger and safer than a vibrant economy with good jobs and good policies that support working families and communities.

Unfortunately, our current administration is failing them. On the one hand, after September 11, they gave every sign of having fallen head over heels for our country’s working men and women who displayed such bravery and determination in the wake of this tragedy. However, privately — behind the closed doors — where public policy is hammered out, workers have not been a priority. America’s working families need help right now, and they are not getting it.

4. Companies often exploit immigrant workers. Simultaneously, some domestic workers fear immigrant workers are stealing their jobs. What is the AFL-CIO doing to advance the rights of immigrant workers?

Immigrant workers in America often face the harshest forms of workplace problems that affect all workers, immigrant and non-immigrant alike: employer interference with our rights to improve wages and working conditions through unionisation, discrimination and abuse at the hands of unscrupulous employers, and the enduring struggle for dignity and respect, both as workers and human beings.

When one worker’s rights are abused, all workers are harmed. Today’s unions are standing strong to demand protection for the rights of immigrant workers and to thwart employers’ attempts to exploit immigrants and pit workers against each other. Recently, we have extended our wholehearted support to an immigration reform bill that would allow long-term undocumented workers to become legal permanent residents and take the first step toward citizenship.

5. Why is the AFL-CIO planning to travel to China to investigate the country’s working conditions? Does the trip have anything to do with promoting Chinese workers’ rights, or is it all about protecting U.S. economic interests?

The AFL-CIO filed an unprecedented petition in March demanding that President Bush use all the policy tools at his disposal to ensure that the Chinese government come into compliance with internationally recognized workers’ rights. The petition argues that the Chinese government’s repression of workers’ rights is costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States and distorting global labour markets. In filing this petition, we hoped to draw attention to worker rights violations abroad as well as to unfair global economic practices.

Recently, the Bush administration officially rejected our petition. That same day, China’s vice premier, Wu Yi, extended to us an invitation to travel to China to investigate Chinese working conditions. We have accepted, under the condition that we are given freedom of movement.

6. What role have unions played in the anti-war and anti-occupation movement?

The AFL-CIO stands firmly behind our troops, and we sincerely hope this conflict will result in a more democratic and prosperous Iraq, and a more peaceful and stable region. In order for this to occur, we believe it is vital that the administration work diligently to repair relations abroad and rebuild a true global coalition to engage in the task of reconstruction and democratisation in Iraq.

7. How crucial is the November election to workers?

America has a jobs crisis. We have a health care crisis. We have a workers’ rights crisis. And it is mostly because America has a leadership crisis. Under the Bush administration, we have had three years of national priorities that placed the special interests of corporations and the wealthy over those of regular workers and their families. America needs good jobs. We have lost 2.8 million good manufacturing jobs over the past three years, more than in the preceding 22 years. For these reasons, it is imperative that we elect a friend of working families to the White House. We are confident that Senator John Kerry will lead us in our fight to make good job creation America’s number one priority and turn our nation around.

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