You can learn a lot about the U.S. labor movement by reading the Communists. The reporters for People’s World, which used to be the People’s Weekly World, which used to be The Daily Worker, are competent and, in reporting on speeches by labor officials, are not restrained by the same internal censors that govern the union-employed writers. If a union leader says something extreme or activists embrace the outlandish, the union writers will overlook the damaging comments. In contrast, writers for People’s World are likely to regard the remarks as virtuous and worth highlighting.

Case in point, the PW’s report on last week’s 72nd Convention of the Communications Workers of America, “CWA takes sober look at labor’s challenges.”

CWA took time out from politics and organizing to pass a resolution demanding withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors from both Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure, pushed by U.S. Labor Against War, won by a majority show of hands. But delegates spent the rest of their time on U.S. politics and CWA internal business…[snip]

The Iraq-Afghanistan withdrawal resolution linked the wars together and demanded redirection of money spent on them to domestic needs, including care for returning injured and wounded troops.

One delegate, an Air Force veteran who recently returned from Afghanistan, opposed it, and two other delegates spoke for it.

That’s sounds like a really interesting story, especially if you interviewed the war veteran and reported on the activities of U.S. Labor Against War. Alas, this is the only report we’ve found on CWA’s foreign policy as discussed at the convention in Washington. It’s not mentioned anywhere at the CWA website.

P.S. For that matter, we didn’t know that organized labor has gone on the offensive against the American Red Cross. The PW reported that the CWA:

Blasted the Red Cross’ anti-union stand. The non-profit demands pay and benefit cuts from its CWA, UFCW, OPEIU, AFSCME and SEIU member-workers. CWA asked its locals to contact United Way area affiliates, since the Red Cross is a big beneficiary of United Way funds, “and request they contact ARC to demand” it “respect the collective bargaining process, consistent with United Way policy.”

(NAM Executive Vice President Jay Timmons blogged last week from the Democratic Convention in Denver, and this week he contributes his observations from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.)

With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on New Orleans, the entire tenor of the 2008 Republican Convention has changed.  Already dedicated to “service,” the focus of convention activities is now on how attendees, and all Americans, can assist in easing the fallout of the storm.

Many events are still on the schedule, but instead of celebrations and parties, organizers are instead turning them into fundraisers for charitable causes that will assist potential victims in the Gulf region.  Discussions on how to change the direction and focus of convention activities began on Saturday as the storm gathered strength and appeared to be on a path similar to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina.  On the way into a Saturday reception honoring the CEO of the convention, Maria Cino, ABC News (Brian Ross reporting) was attempting to unfairly denigrate attendees prior to the storm.  When asked if it was appropriate to attend such an event two days before the storm had reached land, I responded “I think if the hurricane hits New Orleans there will definitely be a lot of change of plans.”

And change there has been.  Those who know Maria Cino know she is one of the few professionals who could turn around years of planning on a dime.  The official session today has been shortened to focus on the mandatory business of the convention (democracy must proceed and the party must nominate its candidate in order for him to appear on the ballot in November) and to hear appeals from First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain for assistance for those in harm’s way. President Bush and Vice President Cheney, who were both scheduled to address the convention today, instead focused on the hurricane, working with State and local officials and deploying FEMA resources prior to impact.

As a member of the American Red Cross National Capital Area Board of Directors, I have been working with organizers of some events to help them change the focus and make them opportunities to raise funds for the Red Cross, which is the first to respond in a natural disaster.  Volunteers who had come to Minneapolis to party are now assembling relief packages that will be soon shipped to the impacted area.

It’s the right thing to do and Republican convention officials and the McCain campaign have responded admirably to a difficult situation.