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AFL-CIO Begins Work on Donahue Plan: The executive council voted to create a multimillion-dollar organizing fund, step up political pressure on Republicans and examine ways to reform the labor federation’s governing structure. The proposals are part of a package presented by Thomas Donahue, serving his first full day as president of the 13.3-million-member organization. Still on the council’s agenda is a proposal to provide $1 million and logistics support to striking newspaper unions in Detroit. Donahue will lead the committee in a review of the AFL-CIO bureaucracy and in developing guidelines for the federation’s October convention. John Sweeney, who has pledged to oust Donahue at the convention, agreed to serve on the committee.