Published 20 Feb, 2014
On Tuesday, TWU International President Harry Lombardo was elected to serve as a Vice President on the AFL-CIO Executive Council at the Federation’s Executive Council Winter Meeting. Composed of union leadership from across the AFL-CIO, the Council marshals the collective force of the American labor movement to support working families.
“This is a new era of political strength for TWU,” said President Lombardo. “In serving our members, TWU is committed to providing effective political support to our friends and unrelenting opposition to our enemies. I am ready to work together with all of our allies at the AFL-CIO to influence our nation’s politics at the local and national levels.”
As the central governing body of the AFL-CIO, the Council regularly issues statements that shape national political conversations. At its Winter Meeting, the Council put out six such statements, several of which pledged support for campaigns to raise the minimum wage and counter growing income inequality.
“The Executive Council acts on every issue related to the Federation,” said AFL-CIO Media Outreach Department Interim Director Amaya Smith. “It’s not just political issues—everything from community partnerships to organizing and development to civil and human rights. The focus is on solidarity around issues that affect multiple unions.”
President Lombardo’s position on the Council affords TWU the opportunity to lock arms with our allies and mount a unified offensive against our enemies in government and big business. “He [President Lombardo] is weighing in on statements that the Council issues,” said Smith, “bringing up issues that he feels the Council needs to address, and working with other unions in the Federation on issues important to American workers.”