For labor unions, polls show promise

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2008/07/for_labor_unions_polls_show_pr.html

by Robert Cohen/Star-Ledger Washington Bureau
Saturday July 12, 2008, 3:02 PM

WASHINGTON -- The nation's labor unions, in decline for decades and on the defensive for eight years during the Bush administration, are counting on a major revival if Barack Obama is elected president in November and Democrats gain stronger majorities in Congress.

With plans to spend at least $300 million on voter registration, issue ads, direct mail, get-out-the-vote operations and other campaign activities, organized labor sees the 2008 election as a watershed moment, and it has lined up solidly behind the Democratic presidential candidate.

"This election for the labor movement and for workers generally is as important as any election since 1932," said David Bonior, a former Michigan congressman and now chairman of the labor advocacy group American Rights at Work.

On labor's agenda are a series of economic, trade, health care and worker-safety issues. But Bonior said the top priority is enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it much easier for unions to organize workplaces, increase their dwindling memberships and ultimately boost their political and economic clout.

He likened the measure to the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, which protected the right to organize, engage in collective bargaining and strike private-sector employers.

"Such an opportunity doesn't come around very often," said Bill Samuel, director of government affairs for the AFL-CIO. "This is an opportunity to get a Democratic president and bigger Democratic majorities in the House and Senate who support fixing the collective bargaining laws."

FULL story at link.

[rpannier]

1. Thanks for sharing

Stories like this are extremely important and they tend to get lost in the more 'headline' oriented stories

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

2. Most importantly, crack down on illegal firings

Any union-busting activity that breaks the law deserves severe punishment.