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Charles Dharapak / Associated Press
From left: AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and John Sweeney, who handed the reins to Trumka when he retired as the president of the labor federation, stand on stage Sept. 15, 2009, at the AFL-CIO conference at the David L. Lawrence center in Pittsburgh.
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO
Sun Archives
- A call for unions to come together (9-17-2009)
- Next AFL-CIO chief pledges to press for health care, labor law reform (8-25-2009)
- In Labor's heart, Dems didn't deliver (6-9-2009)
- Removal of Aztar committee member sought (10-18-2004)
- AFL-CIO demands Sprint replace its independent auditor (3-27-2003)
- Labor leader backs Culinary (5-9-2002)
When Richard Trumka ascended a stage in Pittsburgh last year to accept the presidency of AFL-CIO, he vowed to reinvigorate a flagging labor movement beset by globalization, corporate power and union infighting.
The burly third-generation mine worker pledged victories on health care and labor law reforms, goals that had eluded his predecessors. With the election of President Barack Obama and Democrats in control of Congress, Trumka said labor’s political moment had arrived — and unions would not be denied.
After less than five months, that moment is rapidly fading and the prospects for organized labor’s legislative agenda are growing dimmer. Union leaders are warning that failures on big-ticket items could boomerang on Democrats in November, with union members staying home on Election Day.
Consider the landscape:
Health care legislation is in limbo; the Republican victory in the Massachusetts last month stripped Senate Democrats of the 60-vote majority needed to overcome GOP opposition. And Democratic leaders in the House and Senate remain divided over differences in their chambers’ respective bills.
Unions see health care reform as key to advancing the labor movement. By taking one of the most contentious and expensive items off the bargaining table, labor leaders argue that employers would be more willing to negotiate first contracts with unions.
On labor law reform, Democrats and Republicans say labor’s No. 1 priority — a bill that would make it easier for workers to organize — is all but dead. Consecutive party losses, first in governor races in New Jersey and Virginia last year and then in the Massachusetts Senate race, have rattled Democrats facing re-election, including Nevada Rep. Dina Titus. That sense of political vulnerability makes a fragile compromise on so-called card-check legislation brokered last year even shakier.
No doubt battered by the recession, the country’s unionization rate slid to 12.3 percent last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the first time, a majority of union members are government workers rather than private-sector employees.
Union officials — and the labor secretary — used the report to argue that labor law reform is needed to level the playing field.
Labor experts and political scientists say failures on health care and labor law in Washington could have dire implications for Democrats at home in November, dispiriting a crucial constituency needed to spread the party’s message and turn out voters, particularly in nonpresidential elections when voter participation is traditionally low. In Nevada, the fallout could further imperil the re-election of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is facing low approval ratings.
The business community, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has reveled in the bad news for Democrats and continues a multimillion-dollar public relations campaign against the Employee Free Choice Act. The group released a national poll this week that found 52 percent oppose making it easier for unions to organize workplaces.
Indeed, attitudes toward unions appear to be shifting. In August, Gallup found the approval rating for labor unions had fallen to 48 percent, down 11 points from 2008 and the lowest since the organization began gauging reaction in 1936. The rating held around 60 percent for the past decade.
At the National Press Club in Washington last month, Trumka renewed his push for health care and labor law reform, warning that inaction could lead to a repeat of 1994, when Democrats lost control of Congress. Labor’s priorities were the same then: jobs, corporate regulation and health care reform. Instead, Trumka said the Clinton administration passed the North American Free Trade Agreement and empowered Wall Street. Unions, he said, couldn’t persuade enough members to go to the polls.
“No matter what I say or do, the reality is that when unemployment is 10 percent and rising, working people will not stand for tokenism,” Trumka said. “We will not vote for politicians who think they can push a few crumbs our way and then continue the failed economic policies of the last 30 years.”
To be sure, the Obama administration and Democrats have rewarded labor with fair pay legislation and the overturning President George W. Bush’s ban on project labor agreements for federal construction.
Also, Obama appointed union-friendly Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and shifted the Labor Department’s mission from “compliance assistance” to “vigorous enforcement.” The administration has hired hundreds of inspectors to crack down on workplace safety and wage-and-hour violations — and is seeking more positions in its 2011 budget.
Obama is seeking to make the National Labor Relations Board more friendly to labor, appointing three lawyers, including Craig Becker, an associate general counsel to the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union. Republican Sen. John McCain, however, blocked Becker’s confirmation because of his ties to labor. Becker’s nomination is in question because Senate Democrats lost their 60-vote majority.
Still, those moves don’t easily lend themselves to a campaign mailer or political rhetoric. Even key parts of the economic stimulus package, such as tax credits and unemployment assistance, don’t pack the populist punch of health care or labor law reform.
“Saving jobs is invisible,” said Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “You need an accomplishment that is clear. No matter what unions try to do, their members and the friends of their members will be demobilized.
“That’s why something like health care is so important. People will say, ‘What have you done for me?’ And the answer is, ‘Nothing or not much.’ ”
On labor law, Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO’s legislative director, said the union would try to enlist moderate Republicans but acknowledged the difficulty of achieving a bipartisan bill. He said the federation might consider “other tactics,” meaning the card-check legislation or key parts of it could be placed into a larger jobs bill this year.
Democrat Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, suggested that was the bill’s fate. “Maybe it won’t be card check,” he said, referring to the full bill. “But there are some things we need to do to straighten out the process for (union) elections and certification and first contract.”
Amy Dean, the former head of the AFL-CIO’s Silicon Valley office who has written about reshaping the American labor movement, said labor’s current lot is in part the result of failing to learn the lessons of the early 1990s.
“In the Clinton years, the labor movement let the White House and the Democrats lead — and we got rolled,” she said. “We have to be prepared to put forward our own vision for the economy ... We have to stop giving our money away and working for people who aren’t working for our needs.”
Dean said labor should use the Obama jobs bill, which could include labor law reform and taxes to discourage outsourcing, as a condition for its support in November.
“If you walk away with the same outcome from a friendly administration as you do an oppositional one, you need to rethink how you’re exercising your influence.”
Richard Trumka is a coal miner daughter.
Dittoheads hate the American Worker
the only thing organized today is the cosa nostra ceo's and greedy rich people that don't realize that a strong middle class means good things for the usa. shipping all our manufacturing jobs overseas has taken us down the drain and vegas with it. rich want everyone to work for crap, then turn their trailer trash people on families needing public assistance. as michael douglas said in wall street, greed is good, of course you have to be one of the greedy ones. wake up union haters, these rich folks are laughing at you behind your backs.
The Unions which are known job killers in every private industry they took over through high cost salaries and benefits.
Unions were looking for government to take over their high cost health insurance plans.
This is why unions are looking for government jobs to take over. Does anyone know why you would need card check to take over government jobs.
Other then higher cost for a business oe government operation does anybody know what good a union is? What contribution are Unions making?
Its about time these thugs were slowed in their efforts to destroy the US.
Good. I hear Cuba is a great place to work.
When you have to pass a law to do away with secret ballots to win acceptance in the work place you have a problem with the product your selling not with politics.
Maybe organized labor should not have joined with ACORN to destroy the election process and such tax dollars out of the public.
Without the unions we'd be copying history back to the late 1800's and early 1900's and making pennies with no retirement and no medical. We'd be copying the third world countries of today with their unsafe, unclean, worksite conditions making just about as much as they are. Better yet, without unions we'd have many more jobs here in the United States paying what they did in the early 1900's. Our major businesses would have never had to outsource because wages here in the U.S.A. would be just as low as jobs in third world countries.
With the unions there came pay raises, better working conditions, retirement pay, etc. You people amaze me when you talk the unions down and you don't even realize the good working foundations which have been established by the unions for themselves but which also started trends which helped the non-union factor. Again I can hear the unexperienced talking here today because anyone who has been in a union knows that to be a part of the union is the only way to work.
I hear people criticize the unions for wanting to make sure their members can get health care from our Government so we wouldn't have to pay for benefits. That would not only benefit union members but also non-union members and future union members.
I have yet to hear one non-union employer stand up and make any of these claims for his non-union members.
The way things are going overpaid unionized government employees will hold most secure jobs. In many cases, two government employees could be hired for the price of one: perhaps that should be considered to reduce deficits.
While unemployment inches toward Depression levels, the Obama administration continues to target healthy economic markets and individuals with higher and higher taxes and regulations to pay for its programs that will inhibit U.S. economic growth and jobs for years; effectively confiscating Citizens' money that could otherwise be invested in the economy.
i think union can work with company but there has to be a give and take on both side. right now union has to give a little because the econmy. basically u scratch my. we scratch your. if they don't have this union will fall by the wayside and people will not get paid good. and u will not get paid medical. I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER FREMMASMIND. union gave nonunion good wages and medical it if wasn't for union u be making min. wages and no medical
Most American workers are so ignorant of the hard won rights unions have gotten for them after years of struggle. The corporate media will never bring it up instead they'kk talk all day about Tiger's sex-life! LOL People have to educate themselves before they give it all back!
Unions are thugs, they dont represent the common worker. Unions killed Detroit and the auto industry.
Any politician that supports card check is instantly a lame duck. The unions have outlived their purpose and now their only goal is self preservation. Their only hope is eliminating secret ballots through card check. The best bet for an economic recovery is to completely eliminate unions and reward investors and entrepreneurs.
I am born and raised in Detroit. I grew up and watched the unions ruin a beautiful city. I watched unions go on strike and shut down "feeder" companies and call it a victory for the union because that business could not afford thier demands! I watched unions workers for a large grocery chain (farmer jacks) go on strike because making 12.00 an hour, one weeks paid vacation and 4 paid sick days for scanning groceries was not enough.That was 20 years ago! Farmer jacks closed. The auto ompanies are a joke, they pay employees (good or bad) 30 and 40 dollars an hour for very little in return. It is not the workers fault, it is what they are taught by th union.
The union does not care about workers they care about money and power! Funny,,,,mostly POWER!!! I live here in Las vegas now and I see a lot going wrong, but............I see the people here union and non union willing to stand up and fight to be a free thinking, stong Americans. The "landscape" for unions is changing quickly all over America. Workers are seeing the unions are holding the good people down and the bad people are getting a free ride.
Comment removed by moderator. Comment contained offensive language.
Don't forget, most people don't want to join unions. Unions struggle when free people have the freedom of choice (as laborers and consumers).
Frems,
You've got to check your history. Not only were wages and working conditions on the rise without unions but unions have never been big in America. Furthermore, unions aren't the reason why we have retirement plans. Additionally, private companies and communities formed together to create things like life insurance, health insurance, and yes retirement accounts WITHOUT union help. Private companies even provided unemployment insurance before the gov got involved in the early 20th century.
President Obama would not have won critical primaries in the industrial East without the support of industrial labor unions. The Democrat candidate would have been Hillary Clinton instead.
President Obama, Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod are "the retards", not progressive Democrats. Obama, Emanuel and Axelrod simply fail to understand or acknowledge that they have failed to deliver anything on their campaign promises to industrial union members and their families.
President Obama is just another egotistical windbag from Harvard. He will be a one term president.
The blue dog Democrats like Harry Reid will be swept out of Congress along with him.
PS, unions have been around for centuries without any notion that they improved the quality of life for society. They were called guilds. They helped their own members at the expense of everyone else.
From the beginning of time until the 19th century the average human lived on less than $2 a day (in today's dollars). The explosion of wealth was not created by unions.
The noble intent of the early union movement has been accomplished. Now we are left with greedy, and sometimes corrupt middlemen that have some very powerful laws and politicians to try to further their cause. Their cause these days is to simply fill their coffers to further their viewpoint. They don't care if the employer can afford the contract, they have a limited view, which is to hide behind the employee, and fill their coffers.
formerVegas76 nailed it.
Fools.
p r g, what oar do you have in this situation. some crappy ceo, selfish little bas---- is all i can say about you cowards who never helped this country. you remind me of the miller lite commercials where all you can say i love you to is your beer. you should be ashamed of yourself, of course that means you have to have more than the 2% brain activity that you show
Unions are nothing but crime cartels. Union presidents loan the union treasury money to finance organized crime. The Union officers don't work nothing but their mouths. They fill the uneducated workers with pie in the sky hopes. They ruin business, they close plants and then move on. Detroit is the classic example. The only business in Detroit is crime and plenty of that.
Union officials routinely murder each other for the chance to lead the union. Trumka's union leader was murdered was in 1970 by Tony Boyle who served his presidency in prison. Jock Yablonsky was the man he murdered. I figure Trumka is capable of the same thing. Why they let him in the White House I'll never know.
Jimmy Hoffa was murdered by Mafia hit men. Unions have been sh*tting on the people since Christ left Chicago. Wise up ya dummies. Vote the Unions out and urge the Big Skinny guy in the White House to quit admiring himself and getn to work.
People should be allowed to organize if that is what they want. Employers should be able to fire workers as they please too. The only fair way is to accept both of these truths.
"The blue dog Democrats like Harry Reid will be swept out of Congress along with him."
Yes, and they will be replaced with Republicans. HA!
I never got a job directly from any union.
Teamsters Local 631 here in Las Vegas is a JOKE! Our leaders cant spell, dont return members calls, have given themselves numerous raises including an all time high Christmas bonus, and only take care of their family members and friends. They dont care about the members that they represent.
goons and thugs.
love thy neighbor as tyself, oh wait it's love thy ceo as tyself, sorry i misquoted scriptures.
i want to join the firemen's union...$ 200,000 a year + benefits, insurance, etc. for sitting around the firehouse watching big screen t.v. and eating new york steaks...yeah, i wanna be a fireman...ha,ha,ha.
All I've got to say is $39.99/hr. medical and benefits. 'nuff said!
Former vegas can't sepll.
2dollars, you better raise your ante, ha, ha, ha!
Where does the body of any organization get blamed for what the Administrators running their unions do? Of course we vote them into office, as we vote into office the Administration of the United States of America and its congress. Even though our vote counts we can't control our Administrators in our unions as we can't control our Administration in our highest office. So go ahead and blame every union working hand in GODS country when all of us who are working right now feel that we are very lucky to be working period. Union, non-union, those of us who are working right now better feel that they are lucky.
Just so you may know, I've worked 7 days since last November. I feel lucky.
neiman1 is actually the one who is right, when he said:
When you have to pass a law to do away with secret ballots to win acceptance in the work place you have a problem with the product your selling not with politics.
It warms my heart to see this article in an ultra-left wing newspaper like the Sun.
"America will grow when you say Union NO!"
michael1 says...
"America will grow when you say Union NO!"
Yeah, the Corporations will kick butt at the expense of the American Worker. Great. That'll get the economy rockin'.
i spell the truth
It's too bad that the Union workers have to put up with scumbags at the top of the ladder. These union officials rake in the big dollars and do nothing for the members except give them a line of crap at the regional confernces. Nevadas' AFL-CIO is an embarrasment to the union members in the state.I have been to AFL-CIO conferences in Neavada and I was disgusted at what took place so I exercised my right to speak and pissed off the big shots running the show for exposing how crooked they are. AFL-CIO is a joke and just about as useless as the rainbow coalition.Back when Blackie Evans was running the show it meant something, now its just a bunch of clowns who wouldn't make a pimple on his butt.
IT IS TIME THAT UNIONS realize that Democrats in Congress are more concerned with elections than workers.
That will not change Until the Workers Get Tough With the Democrats PRIOR To The Next Election.
Workers Must Threaten the Establishment Democrats re-election (not just in Washington but in StateHouses all across the US), the Entire Democratic Establishment.
AN EFFECTIVE THREAT ( IS delivered NOW! )
and would be writing your Congressional Rep and Threatening To TEAR UP YOUR BALLOT (in the Fall) & MAIL the Pieces to them.
That would threaten the re-election of far more Democrats than just those in Congress, and gain for us the support for change of StateHouse Dems as well. They won't want to lose their jobs so they will pressure Congressional Dems to act Before The Election.
Being informed well before the election, that All Democratic Candidates Everywhere will lose All Union Support (for this One Election) will get results.
Make it plain to the Democrats Now that without Union Legislative Goals being achieved well prior to the election, Union Members In Every State Will Pull their support From ALL DEMOCRATS EVERYWHERE!
Yes, this is a radical proposal but nothing you have done in decades has worked and our Democrats continue to sell workers out. What individual workers actually do with their ballot in the fall is their own choice. Everything we have done in the past failed.
Act Now. November will be too late!!
John H Kennedy, Denver CO
.
The CEO of Goldman Sachs works with a negotiated contract so why shouldnt middle-income Americans?
If you are a worker and you are anti-union then you are confused.
Dear John H. Kennedy,
Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling, 3rd parties can now advertise in favor or opposed to certain candidates' positions.
Let's see who has more money...the Unions, whose membership has reached nearly an all-time low...or the Big Corporations?
Dina Titus and Harry Reid are ALREADY in big trouble in Nevada. They will be GONE in November!
I am VERY excited about the upcoming November elections.
In closing, The Employee Forced Choice Act (outlawing secret ballot) now officially has NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER of becoming law.
Good day!
Looks like they have one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel.
"Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling, 3rd parties can now advertise in favor or opposed to certain candidates' positions."
Before the ruling, 3rd parties could advertise in favor or opposed to certain candidates' positions anytime they wanted to as long they did not mention the name of the candidate.
Before the ruling, 3rd parties could advertise in favor or opposed to canidates and mention the name of the candidate as long as it was before 30 days of the election.
After the ruling, 3rd parties can now mention the candidates name during the 30 days.
That is all that the ruling did.
SgtRock,
I am not disagreeing with you - you are correct. However, when you take into account that independnt and swing voters often don't make up their minds until right before an election, you see how important it is that 3rd parties can now advertise right up to and including election day. Big corporations have more influential money to spend than do unions, which is why Democrats and the President was so upset with this ruling.
Is that the teamster on the left?
WOW all this union talk and how stupid and clueless non-union workers are makes me wonder...HMMM...How many days have you union workers worked in the last six months,, how long on the out of work list and receiving unemployment in that time...Im non-union and I have worked every day except sunday in that time and others have as well...I dont claim unemployment,, but pay into it so in case something happens which I cant see in the near or distant future as biz is booming...Do any union people ever think for once and not about how much they make and what benefits they wanna have..Ever think about the cost of inflation??? Why is it that there is such a thing...Is it because unions want a higher wage and benefit to produce something and then that cost is thrown down to the citizens by the companies that employ union workers to make a profit from all the cost to produce a union made product...Well as I see it ,, all a union does is bankrupt American companies so they will go elsewhere to make there product for a more reasonable price....So back to the calling of idiots by the idiots that think you are doing this country any good by being laid off and being on unemployment more than you actually work...I can say that work is plentiful in my biz and dont see any layoffs coming anytime soon...Can any union workers say that...
formervegas--- you couldnt spell the truth if some coward wrote it for you.......
Lets hope the Supreme court steps in and puts a end to unionized public employees. They are the main cause of the economic downturn, and states like Nevada and California severe budjet problems. Remember it wasn't always this way. Another liberal democratic president, Kennedy, was the one who started this mess, by making legal for public employees to unionize.
hey, all you pro-union guys...
what kind of computer are you typing on?
is it union made?
thus endeth the lesson.