It has been repeated ad nauseum that the AFL-CIO is nothing but a dues collecting enterprise. It would be rightly titled AFL-CIO Inc., a wholly owned subciadiary of U.S.A. Corporation. However, it serves another purpose. That purpose is to act as a buffer between working class radicals (if they were to exist) and the working class. The AFL-CIO effectively stymies any type of radicalism that could infect the minds of the working class and cause them to rise up in unity. It has not only been a shill for big business in the U.S, but it has been conplicit in the murder of union activists in the third world and the overthrow of elected governments (
AIFLD) at the behest of U.S. corporate interests. The AFL-CIO working hand in hand with the capitalist and his dumbed down education system has aided succesfully in the removal of any trace of class conciousness from the minds of the working class. The working class has been convinced that there is no class struggle, that they are powerless to defend themselves from the constant onslaught of the ruling elite and the politicians that they own. When ever someone points out that there is inequality in the capitalist society they are accused of promoting class warfare; this inequality is explained away as merely an "correction of the market" caused by Adam Smith's "invisible hand" which "guides" the economy. The sick, lame and lazy are then blamed for not raising themselves up by their "boot straps" The "invisible hand" is my favorite. Its like some kind of economic Santa Claus that comes down the chimney on Wall Street and gives to the nice and not to the naughty! The reality is that there is class warfare in this country, it has been going on at least since the advent of the corporation and the industrial revolutions in the Uk and the U.S. Economic class warfare is evident in rising inflation, in increased taxes, the looting of pension funds and social security, outsourcing U.S. jobs, the bailout of banks with public funds, etc, etc. The capitalist decries socialism when it benefits the working class. The capitalist has no problerm with corporate socialism: privatized profit and public loss. Most of the working class is not preoccupied with the class struggle, it is preoccupied by sports, entertainment, baubbles and gadgets and the day to day grind. The working class does not know the great might it has. It is because of this great might that the capitalist has to buy the politicians to enact laws that are to his benefit and of detriment to the working class. Also because of this great might the capitalist has to buy the court system, and the judges to enforce his laws. The capitalist is also a great coward who has to hide behind the National Guard and the police powers of the state when the working class chooses to wield its great might.
One of the crown jewels of the capitalist's machinations is the corporately controlled media (along with the education system) which plies its propaganda to keep the working class fearful and ignorant.
The sad truth is that there is nothing wrong with the AFL-CIO. It is not broken. It is serving as advertized. It is doing its job. It is doing exactly what it was meant to do. The Knights of Labor have turned into The Pimps of Labor!