| Labor Party | |
| Colorcode: |
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| Successor: | South Carolina Workers Party |
| Position: | Center-left to left-wing |
| Country: | United States |
The Labor Party (LP) was a social democratic political party in the United States. LP formed at a national convention of unions and labor activists in 1996. The LP collapsed after its founder, Tony Mazzocchi, died in 2002. The party became defunct in 2007, except for the branch in South Carolina, which became the South Carolina Workers Party.
In 1989, members of Socialist Alternative in AFSCME created the Campaign for a Labor Party (CLP). CLP meetings persuaded Mazzochi that enough support existed in unions for a labor party, and he created Labor Party Advocates in 1990.[1]
The Labor Party was officially formed in 1996 by the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers International Union, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, United Mine Workers, International Longshore and Warehouse Union, American Federation of Government Employees, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, California Nurses Association, Farm Labor Organizing Committee and hundreds of other local labor unions. Delegates to the founding convention adopted a 16-point program called "A Call for Economic Justice."
From the beginning a dispute over the Party's running of candidates arose with many of the official unions totally opposed to running candidates that might cause the defeat of their normal Democratic allies. Smaller locals and left union activists on the other had pushed for a clean break with the Democratic Party. This issue was debated internally for years until 1999 when the Party's leadership agreed to some endorsements of Labor Party members running.
In 2001 the Labor Party endorsed labor sponsored independent candidates in San Francisco and Ohio local elections.
After the 2000 elections, even symbolic support dripped away. In 2002, founding national organizer Tony Mazzocchi died. Mark Dudzic confirmed that the national party had suspended operations in 2007.[2]
Despite national decline, the South Carolina chapter remained active.[3] It has run several third-party candidates, in contrast to the national Labor Party.
In 2023, members of the SC branch called a convention, ended their affiliation with the (defunct) Labor Party, and renamed to the South Carolina Workers Party.[4]
| Name | Date | Place | Program | Report | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Convention | June 6-9, 1996 | Cleveland, Ohio | "Call for Economic Justice" | ||
| 2nd Convention | July 25-28, 2002 | Washington, DC | Convention Highlights |