Four Unions Boycott AFL-CIO Convention, May Leave Federation

Four major unions are boycotting the AFL-CIO's constitutional convention beginning in Chicago today. They are expected to leave the labor federation, and are supposed to announce their plans today. At least the Teamsters Union and the Service Employees International Union are expected to withdraw from the AFL-CIO as early as today. These two groups make up 3 million out of the 13 million members of the labor federation. United Food and Commercial Workers and Unite Here are the other unions. "When you are going down the road, and the road you are going down is the wrong road and you know where the road ends, you have to get off the road and go where there is hope," said SEIU President Andy Stern. "Today there is hope for American workers." The four unions have formed a group called the Change to Win Coalition. The union leaders have refused to pay $7 million in back dues to the AFL-CIO. Stephen Franklin and Barbara Rose of the Chicago Tribune latest ebusiness news