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.”

If you apply the tools of dialectical materialism, this talk about a “compromise” on the Employee Free Choice Act makes more sense.

From People’s Weekly World, the newsite and newspaper of the American communists, “Rumor of card check’s ‘death’ is greatly exaggerated“:

The labor movement, for the last three or more years, has marched, picketed, sat in, demonstrated, petitioned and engaged in major strikes from one end of the country to the other. It mobilized for the 2006 and 2008 elections on all levels, reshaped the face of Capitol Hill, changed the Congress, changed the Senate and was critical in the election of perhaps the most pro-labor administration in U.S. history.

Because of this militancy we are on the verge of seeing serious, major labor law reform in this country.

Hah. Despite union reports that the Employee Free Choice Act would be introduced next Monday …

From the People’s Weekly World, “Update: Employee Free Choice Act to be introduced in Congress“:

(Editor’s note: PWW reporters at the AFL-CIO executive council meeting indicate that the report that the Employee Free Choice Act will be introduced on March 9 is incorrect. According to union sources, the bill will be introduced later in the month).

As suggested below, PWW reporters pay attention to details and are conscientious (in service of an evil cause, Communism, but still, credit where credit due). We tend to believe them more than the union blusterers.

In what’s probably related news/commentary, from Arkansas: “Is Lincoln shifting on EFCA?”

UPDATE (9:40 a.m.): More evidence of union confusion on the issue. Yesterday, the Los Angeles AFL-CIO’s website said introduction would be next Monday:

Street Dialing for Good Jobs
Join us as we phone bank Senator Feinstein from the streets of L.A. in support of the Employee Free Choice Act

On Monday, March 9th Congressman George Miller and Senator Ted Kennedy are expected to introduce the Employee Free Choice Act into the House of Representatives.

Today it says:

On the week of March 9th Congressman George Miller and Senator Ted Kennedy are expected to introduce the Employee Free Choice Act into the House of Representatives.

Don’t want to get caught up in too much of the insider ball game here. The Employee Free Choice Act is an attack on secret ballot elections, good jobs and managerial prerogative no matter whether the bill is introduced March 9th or March Xth. The question of dates is interesting just as a reflection of labor’s disarray and confused leadership.

UPDATE: (10 a.m.): “President Tells Unions Organizing Act Will Pass“:

MIAMI — President Barack Obama told AFL-CIO union leaders Tuesday in a videotaped address that the controversial Employee Free Choice Act will pass, signaling his full backing for legislation that makes union organizing easier.

“We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act,” President Obama told more than 100 top labor officials in a closed-door meeting at the labor federation’s winter gathering in Miami, according to people at the meeting.

The remarks were taped February 20th, so they’d have to be generic statements of support.

UPDATEThe Hill:

Democratic aides said lawmakers have not yet picked a day for when to introduce the bill.

“We have not made a decision on timing for introduction of the bill,” said Aaron Albright, spokesman for the House Education and Labor Committee. Miller (D-Calif.) is chairman of the committee.

From Gerald McIntee, head of AFSCME, telling the Washington Times that the unions put a lot of time and effort and money, money, money into supporting the Obama campaign:

The payback would be Employee Free Choice Act – that would be a vehicle to strengthen and build the American labor movement and the middle class…It’s the condition of the country, it’s health care, it’s the Employee Free Choice Act, it’s some kind of effort made in protection of their pensions. These are big and major items.

Elsewhere, the People’s Weekly World reports labor’s plans for action on the Employee Free Choice Act:

[According] to David Eckstein, national AFL-CIO assistant director for organizing, labor is hopeful the bill will be an integral part of Obama’s recovery package and is working for it to be adopted in the House in March and in the Senate in May. Speaking at this month’s meeting of delegates to the North Shore labor federation, Eckstein called the Employee Free Choice Act “the biggest bill for working class people in 30 years” and said the labor movement intends to campaign for it in the same way it worked for the election of Obama.

Thanks for the political intelligence, comrades. In pursuit of the free exchange of ideas, here’s our strategy: We intend to oppose the abusive scheme for forced unionization in January. And then in February. March, too. April, yes, you bet. May? Ja! We’ll fight it on May Day, and May 2, and etc.