Laborers’ union will rejoin AFL-CIO in sign of greater labor unity

Laborers’ union to rejoin AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON — The Laborers’ International Union is rejoining the AFL-CIO five years after leaving in a bitter dispute that split the U.S. labor movement.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says the move is an important step in helping organized labor become more unified.

The 800,000-member laborers’ union represents workers in the construction industry.

The Laborers and five other unions left the AFL-CIO amid complaints that the nation’s largest labor federation focused too much on politics and not enough on organizing new members. Those breakaway unions formed the Change to Win federation.

The Laborers are the second union to return to the AFL-CIO. Last year, the union of hotel, restaurant and clothing workers known as UNITE HERE rejoined.