Had three excellent sessions today - all very different, but all equally interesting and genuinely thought provoking.

Kicked off this morning with James Green, who took us through some of the key turning points in US labour history - the role of Samuel Gompers and the AFL (one of the precursors to the modern AFl-CIO), and the rise and fall of the Wobblies.

American labour history is a great untold story, and what really struck me is the parallels between the debates which took place over 100 years ago, and those taking place in the US trade union movement today.

James was followed by Steve Abrecht from the SEIU who talked about the union's capital stewardship programme - something that unions and the TUC in the UK have had some involvement in, but which Steve and his colleagues have taken to a completely different level. Steve's presentation, which focused on amongst other things the way that unions have influenced CalPERS and other big public sector pension funds to improve corporate governance and support the aims, values and interests of trade union members, linked to the final presentation of the day from Carolyn Doggett, executive director of the California Teacher's Association, and Beverly Tucker (the union's chief counsel).

Carolyn and Beverly talked us through some of the key political battles about to take place in California, as Arnold 'The Terminator' Schwarzenegger, launches an attempt to effectively dismantle public sector trade unionism. Part of his plans include the effective closing of the large public sector employees and teacher's pension funds in California (in no small part, due to the success unions have had in effectively influencing these funds). CTA rightly believe that this could set a precedent which would have an impact across the US - and indeed beyond (California is the fifth largest economy in the world as measured by GNP). You can listen to the union's response here.