Resolu(on

115 AFSCME and SEIU: Unstoppable Unions that Never Quit

AFSCME and SEIU have come together to work collabora:vely to expand and strengthen our ability
to unite workers and communi:es to challenge the rapidly growing inequity in wealth and power
that threatens the democra:c fabric of our society. While we recognize the dierences in culture
and structure between our respec:ve organiza:ons and the divisions that have hampered us in the
past, the :mes demand that we build on our common purpose.
Whereas:
Powerful and well-funded interests have systema:cally and steadily aKacked the strength of
organized labor in recent decades. This aKack on workers has resulted in rising wealth inequality,
declining standards for workers, and a poli:cal system that appears incapable of addressing, much
less reversing, the dispari:es in income, opportunity, and well-being within our communi:es; and
Whereas:
The responsibili:es and challenges confron:ng our two unions, including the ongoing challenge of
na:onal right-to-work in the public sector and the con:nuing decline in private sector unionism,
demand bold ac:ons. It is becoming increasingly dicult for union members to live on islands of
quality health benets, dened benet pensions and strong contracts in a sea of low-wage, low
benet non-union jobs. We must raise the labor standards in the economy at-large in order to
ensure that all workers have a fair shot at geQng ahead; and
Whereas:
Together, SEIU and AFSCME are unstoppable unions that never quit. We have the strength to
achieve social and economic jus:ce for all working people. Together, we can unite to turn back the
well-funded special interests who have rigged the economy in favor of the wealthy few at the
expense of the rest of us. If we do not take on this work, who will? If not now, when?
Therefore Be it Resolved:
AFSCME and SEIU will establish common goals to:
1. Innovate within the current model of unionism, including innova:ng in collec:ve
bargaining;
2. Explore the crea:on of new forms of self-sustaining democra:c worker organiza:on
beyond the tradi:onal collec:ve bargaining model;
3. Expand organizing of new members in our common areas and assist wherever possible
in private sector organizing, both within and outside our unions; and
4. Lead and par:cipate in the wider social-economic jus:ce movement;
Be it Further Resolved:
That the best way to meet our goals and to create beKer lives for our members, their families and
their communi:es is to deepen our collabora:on and work more closely together at every level of
our organiza:ons; and
IEB Resolu:on Adopted May 5, 2016

 Resolu(on 115 AFSCME and SEIU: Unstoppable Unions that Never Quit
Be it Further Resolved:
Our vision requires the crea:on of unity partnerships at the na:onal, state and local levels. Unity
partnerships may include some or all of the following ac:vi:es: joint goal seQng and strategic
planning; joint bargaining and representa:onal ac:vi:es where we have a common employer and
coordinated bargaining where we represent workers in the same industry and labor market; joint
seQng of priori:es and strategies where we deal with the same legisla:ve and/or administra:ve
bodies; joint poli:cal ac:vity where we share an interest in electoral outcomes; and joint
communica:on, legal, mobiliza:on and research strategies and ac:vi:es to support our work; and
Be it Further Resolved:
Our Interna:onal Unions will provide assistance to aliated unions to catalyze unity partnerships,
recognizing that aliate par:cipa:on in, and commitment to, unity partnerships is essen:al. The
building of trust and the development of collabora:on takes :me and eort and must be voluntarily
achieved and ac:vely led. Disagreements within and between leaders of our unions are inevitable
and must be resolved in a manner consistent with our partnership and our deep-seated
commitment to our members; and
Be it Further Resolved:
Our unions will deepen our collabora:ve organizing to create greater voice and power for workers in
targeted sectors and regions. Our work will be inclusive; although our unions are large and eec:ve,
we cant do it alone. We will invite collabora:on with unions across the labor movement who share
our commitment to priori:ze organizing and to be strategic and deliberate in our eorts. We will
seek to spark a coali:on of willing unions to reignite organizing using tradi:onal models and by
deploying strategies for workers to exercise power and enhance their economic well-being in
innova:ve ways; and
Be It Further Resolved:
Based on the durability and eec:veness of the partnerships that are developed at the na:onal,
state and local levels, we will explore ways to deepen and expand our collabora:ve eorts, including
considera:on of an ins:tu:onal merger that would formally unite the strengths of both our unions
to create a new en:ty; and
Be it Finally Resolved:
Our unions will convene a joint commiKee to foster the collabora:on that we envision and to review
and modify our process as needed. The Interna:onal Execu:ve Boards of SEIU and AFSCME shall be
empowered to modify or end the collabora:on between our unions described in this resolu:on.
Any proposed structural changes must be recommended by both Interna:onal Execu:ve Boards and
shall be submiKed to a vote in accordance with each unions cons:tu:on and bylaws.

IEB Resolu:on Adopted May 5, 2016