Politico: For labor, there's always next year

[Omaha Steve]

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=8FC5A86B-18FE-70B2-A8B289A9720BE8DF

By: Jeanne Cummings
December 15, 2009 05:10 AM EST

It’s not been the year that labor had hoped for when it helped Democrats seize control of both Congress and the White House in 2008.

The top labor legislative priority, a measure easing union organizing rules, hasn’t seen so much as a committee vote after negotiations over modified language took a back seat to passage of health care reform.

Some members have grown frustrated with President Barack Obama’s decision to push health care as his first domestic priority, rather than focusing on economic recovery.

And those feelings only intensified as the unemployment rate rose and automakers and other labor-dominated industries took debilitating blows during the economic downturn.

Now, labor leaders are trying to defeat a Senate proposal to raise money for health care reform by taxing so-called Cadillac health insurance packages, which could apply to some union members.

Gerald McEntee, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, recently applauded Senate Democratic leaders for working to produce a reform bill but insisted there be “no taxes on middle-class health plans” in it.

FULL story at link.

[dhpgetsit]

1. I think they will try to pass EFCA soon, but

If they don't pull out of the "free tade" agreements and start imposing good old-fashioned tarrifs, EFCA won't have the desired effect.

[mitchtv]

2. it's getting real snug down here

under the bus, Welcome Labor