WHEREAS:

On January 24, 1996, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) released a preliminary report entitled, "The Role of Federal Mandates in Intergovernmental Relations;" and,

WHEREAS:

Millions of American workers would be hurt by implementation of the recommendations in this report, including repeal of OSHA, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act as they apply to state and local governments, and revision of Davis-Bacon related acts; and,

WHEREAS:

Congress recently passed a law extending federal labor protections to its own employees; and,

WHEREAS:

Millions of state and local government employees who are denied the legal right to bargain or are not covered by collective bargaining agreements would be left unprotected by repeal of federal safeguards; and,

WHEREAS:

The report also calls for eliminating or cutting back other minimum federal safeguards that provide all Americans clean air and water and protect the rights of the disabled.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The AFSCME International Executive Board denounces the recommendations contained in the ACIR report. These recommendations would undo 40 years of progressive federal labor policy and result in a federally-sanctioned "race to the bottom" among state and local governments; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

AFSCME calls on the 26 members of the ACIR to vote against the recommendations contained in this report; and,

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT:

AFSCME refer this resolution to the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO for its consideration and its support in efforts to achieve reversal of this misguided action by the ACIR.