SEIU President, Andy Stern on CNN last night

best closing lines ever:

DOBBS: Andy Stern, good to have you here.

STERN: Good to have you, Lou.


SEIU President, Andy Stern on CNN, July 26 2005

DOBBS: The AFL-CIO is a half century old this week, and now breaking apart. The Teamsters, the Service Employees International announcing their split from the coalition yesterday.

Joining me tonight, the president of the Service Employees Union, Andy Stern.

Andy, why is it necessary for you to break with the AFL-CIO?

ANDY STERN, PRESIDENT, SEIU: Well, Lou, I don't need to tell you that we are living through the most profound, the most significant, the most transformic economic revolution in world history. And American workers are not doing very well. They have less job security, less pay raises, more expensive health care, more debt. And we need a strong and growing labor movement if workers are going to have their work valued and rewarded in this economy.

DOBBS: As you know, Richard Trumka and John Sweeney say that you're weakening organized labor in this country by reducing the strength of other unions that are gathered under the AFL-CIO banner. How do you respond?

STERN: I say we are trying to rebuild the strength of American workers so they can have their work rewarded. We're doing that by the way that we know how to do it best, which is to grow stronger, to be new, innovative, dynamic and flexible. Where workers need to be united is in our communities and at the bargaining tables, not in big office buildings in Washington, D.C. And that's where the unity has been lacking. And that's where we intend to bring back a growing and dynamic labor movement.

DOBBS: What is the attraction for workers now in any industry for union membership, Andy, whether yours or any other? Union membership is down to 8 percent. It's the lowest it's been in almost 70 years.

STERN: Well, yesterday I was at a bill signing with Governor Blagojevich here in Illinois. And I was with Angenita Tanner. Angenita is a child care worker. She takes care of kids in her home every day. And yesterday, she got a chance to change her life through her union.

On Thursday, Florence Aguilar, who's a janitor in Houston, has made minimum wage her whole life and has no benefits, is going to be part of an action for the first time in history to give janitors in Houston, Texas, a chance to live the American dream.

Unions work. But they only work when they're growing stronger, when they're flexible, when they're dynamic and when they're innovative. This is a very different economy from the 1930s, and unions need to change.

DOBBS: The unions need to change. Just how are you going to change? What will be the appeal that you will -- the message that you at least and whatever other unions you affiliate with -- I presume the Teamsters and others -- what will you say to the American worker?

STERN: We're going to say to the American workers that American workers make $9,000 more in unions than not in unions. That unions are still the best anti-poverty program, the best job, the best health and safety program, but only if we're reaching out and talking to workers. Only if we're building effective partnerships with our employers. Only if we're recognizing the needs of a new global economy. That's what we're going to do, is talk to people about changing their lives by uniting their strengths.

DOBBS: Andy Stern, good to have you here.

STERN: Good to have you, Lou.