AFL-CIO Convention Unanimously Rejects TVA Privatization

LOS ANGELES, CA - Responding to language included in President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) budget aimed at the potential transfer of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to private interests, the AFL-CIO passed a resolution today calling on America’s labor movement to, “work with Congress in opposing any effort by the Obama Administration to undertake a study and/or move toward selling the TVA to private interests.” Entitled, Reject any attempt to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority, Resolution 39 was cosponsored by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), the Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) and the Metal Trades Department (MTD).



Speaking today at the AFL-CIO convention in support of the resolution, Engineering Association (EA)/IFPTE Local 1937 President, Gay Henson, informed gathered delegates that, “the privatization of TVA is a very bad idea…it would diminish the critical role that TVA has played in the region, negatively impact the economy of many states, and bring a catastrophic blow to the more than 13,000 jobs – many union jobs - at TVA.” Henson went on to say that since 2005 TVA services have preserved and created, “300,000 jobs and $32 billion in business investments.”



IFPTE international president, Gregory Junemann, applauded passage of the resolution, saying that, “The endorsed resolution brings along with it the full backing of America’s labor movement in urging Congress to reject any attempt to dismantle not only the largest public utility in America, but what also continues to be one of the most successful public works projects in the history of America. As president of IFPTE, and as an AFL-CIO vice president, we will work toward blocking the privatization of this national treasure.”



The resolution was passed unanimously as a part of the 2013 AFL-CIO convention being held this week in Los Angeles. Full text of all approved resolutions, including resolution 39, can be found at www.aflcio.org/resolutions.

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