The state AFL-CIO and Pennsylvania's largest public teacher union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) formalized a labor solidarity agreement at the PSEA headquarters Tuesday.

Already seen as two of the dominant lobbying forces in the General Assembly, the 191,000 member PSEA is now linked with 900,000 AFL-CIO members claimed by 51 international unions in 1,422 locals in all of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.

Much of the work of organized labor in Pennsylvania is conducted and coordinated by 34 regional Central Labor Councils (CLC) across the state. Teachers from the state's 501 school districts may now join the CLCs as dues paying members, hold local offices in the group and could, ultimately, wind up with representation on the state AFL-CIO executive committee.

PSEA President Jim Testerman speaks at the podium while Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill Geoerge looks on at Tuesday's formal merger of the two powerful unions.

Private sector union membership has been declining nationally for decades, while public unions have been growing rapidly in the form of teacher unions, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Service Employees International Unions (SEIU).

In the 2007-08 state election cycle alone, PSEA alone contributed $2.1 million to candidates for state office. Since the AFL-CIO Political Action Committees are so dispersed across the state, it is difficult to determine exactly how much they contributed as a collective, but it, too, is in the multiple millions of dollars.

Spirits were high at the signing ceremony which featured AFL-CIO President Bill George and Secretary Treasurer Rick Bloomingdale, along with PSEA President Jim Testerman and Executive Vice President Mike Crossi.

Mr. George stated flatly the merger "will create a lot more power" to fend off "assaults on workers' pay, pension plans, health benefits" and other mandated employer costs.

AFL-CIO President Bill George at Tuesday's event.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get organized," said Mr. Testerman. "Our futures are entwined. It is unions that set the bar on wages, working conditions, safety, benefits" and other issues. "Today, it is unions that will fight employer-led efforts" to take back hard earned gains, he said.

Mr. Bloomingdale said the middle class in America was "built on the pillars of unionism and public education", adding with an educated work force "employers can no longer pull the wool over people's eyes."

Mr. Crossi added unions will "rebuild the American Dream. You cannot have a middle class without labor unions leading the way."

Mr. George and Mr. Testerman agreed the organizations will work together on political strategy, political giving and, as Mr. Testerman put it, "Who really represents the workers in this state."

Jim Panyard is a reporter for the Pennsylvania Independent.  He can be reached at Jim@PAIndependent.com