AFL-CIO president John Sweeney moved yesterday to minimize the damage that the schism within organized labor would do to city and state labor federations by offering "solidarity charters." Union locals in the departing unions will be allowed to rejoin AFL-CIO state and city labor bodies as special affiliates if they sign the charters, which include a 10 percent fee beyond their usual dues.
See "Labor Leader Offers Locals 'Solidarity'", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, August 10, 2005