US News reports today that the mega-labor federation AFL-CIO intends to “redeploy funds” away from partisan candidates. Many will interpret the move as yet another blow to President Obama’s reelection campaign. However, there is a compelling possibility for the change, according to an AFL-CIO spokesman.

This time around, Goldstein says, the federation wants to build a more long-lasting structure, giving “different kinds of support to different candidates.”

And that may mean more politically independent candidates.

In a May speech at the National Press Club, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka threatened to reduce support for the Democratic party and launch “an independent labor movement” if Democrats didn’t more fully support the union agenda.