Presidents of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and PSEA Sign Historic Labor Solidarity Partnership Allowing Greater Unity and Strength Between the Unions

Historic Agreement between PA AFL-CIO and PSEA on the 50th Anniversary of The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today leaders of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) announced an historic partnership that will build a stronger and more unified labor movement in Pennsylvania.

Bill George, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, the state's largest Labor Organization and Jim Testerman, President of PSEA, the state's largest School Employee Union signed the labor solidarity partnership agreement today at a news conference in Harrisburg.

"On the 50^th Anniversary of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO we are pleased to announce a new partnership with the PSEA which will lead to a stronger more vibrant voice for all working people throughout Pennsylvania. For me personally it represents one of most rewarding moments in my 50 year career as a member and leader of the labor movement. This agreement charts a course for greater unity and strength between unions for the next 50 years," George said "We will be able to wage stronger campaigns to fend off escalating assaults on family incomes, health care, pensions and public services. And we'll be stronger to fight for a great education for our children, quality affordable health care for all, and retirement security for all workers." 

"We believe it is in the mutual best interest for PSEA and our local affiliates to participate in the broader labor movement through joint efforts with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates at the national, state, and local levels," said Testerman.

The agreement will allow for greater cooperation and participation by PSEA local affiliates in AFL-CIO Central Labor councils and in the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. The two organizations have been working toward this moment for the past few years. The agreement signed today implements on the state level the National Partnership Agreement reached in 2006 by the AFL-CIO and the National Education Association (NEA).

"The advantages of joining together are obvious: sharing of resources, better coordination, closer ties between workers and their unions for the mutual benefit of our communities and schools throughout Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rick Bloomingdale added. "We will be able to conduct more effective campaigns in politics and legislation, in our community services programs and in educating workers about the benefits of belonging to unions.

"Now is the time to put aside differences in the labor movement and work toward rebuilding the middle class and making the American dream accessible to all, not just the wealthy," said Michael Crossey, PSEA Vice President. "You cannot have a middle class without labor unions in America. It is imperative that unions speak in a unified voice to bring about positive change."

The agreement has the potential of boosting the membership of local Central Labor Councils in Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO by an additional 191,000 members of PSEA/NEA locals throughout the state. Over 820,000 people are members of unions affiliated with the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO