LABOR SET TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS : AFL-CIO CHIEF DARES GOP TO CHALLENGE POLITICAL CLOUT.

Byline: Steven Greenhouse The New York Times

John Sweeney, AFL-CIO president, issued a defiant ``make my day'' declaration in Los Angeles on Monday to Republicans in Congress who want revenge on the labor movement for its pull-out-the-stops drive to defeat them in last fall's elections.

``We're going to resist and oppose any efforts that are made toward recriminations for any of the good work we did last year,'' Sweeney said at a news conference on the first day of the federation's winter meeting. ``If there is going to be any attempt at retribution, we'll be as out front as we have been on any other issue.''

The AFL-CIO spent $25 million on its anti-Republican broadcast spots last year, in what many union leaders call their biggest campaign effort ever. Seething Republicans are talking about curbing labor unions' independent spending on elections. Several Republicans have proposed legislation that could cripple such spending by forbidding unions to use a member's dues on campaigns unless he or she had signed an authorization card.

Since their party increased its majority in the Senate and maintained control of the House in the face of the labor effort, some Republican supporters say punishment is sure.

``As is often said, when you set out to kill the king, you better succeed, and they didn't, so they had better watch out,'' said Paul Huard, chief lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers.

But AFL-CIO lobbyists say they are not alarmed, because numerous Republican moderates, shaken by last fall's assault, have told union leaders they intend to remain close to labor.

``They're trying to posture themselves as worker-friendly,'' said Peggy Taylor, the AFL-CIO's chief lobbyist, noting that this could prevent Republican leaders from mustering a majority on anti-labor measures.

``We won't just be playing defense,'' she added. ``There'll definitely be some offense from us.''

Labor unions have a long wish list. They hope they can focus on a few issues with such widespread public support that Republicans would block the issues at their peril. Union officials point to what happened last year with labor's campaign for a higher minimum wage: The public backed it so overwhelmingly that Republicans were pushed into approving it.

Dennis Rivera, president of Local 1199 of the National Health and Human Service Employees Union, said he hopes one subject that will catch fire in the same way is labor's pet proposal to extend health coverage to the 10 million American children without medical insurance.

Douglas Dority, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers, wants labor to go even further this year and push for universal health coverage. ``We have a situation where more and more employers are simply cutting off employer-paid health coverage to employees.''

Another issue that union officials say could gain momentum would be requiring all employers to provide pensions, even small ones, to all workers. AFL-CIO lobbyists also say they will push for laws to ensure that health maintenance organizations provide quality care.

``We want to find a way to get at financial incentives that discourage doctors from providing quality care,'' said Taylor.

She said the federation also backs proposals to take federal money that labor unions say subsidizes the transfer of jobs overseas and use it to build or modernize schools. ``A lot of schools are crumbling and are not wired for the Internet,'' she said. ``Teachers like this idea. Parents like it. Construction workers like it. Telecommunications people like it.''

AFL-CIO officials said they would support President Clinton's proposals to expand the family leave act, broaden child care coverage and provide tax credits and deductions to go to college. The federation is asking locals to send letters opposing the Republican drive to add an amendment to the Constitution requiring a balanced budget; it is also planning a campaign against replacing Social Security with a private system.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1) John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, discusses a union campaign focusing on women Monday in Los Angeles.

(2) United Farm Workers head Arturo Rodriguez, left, talks with the AFL-CIO's Linda Chavez-Thompson and Doug Dority of the United Food and Commercial Workers.

Associated Press