Obama win shakes up organized labor

[rodeodance]

Source: ap

Obama win shakes up organized labor


By JESSE J. HOLLAND, AP Labor Writer 10 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Despite racking up almost all of the endorsements from organized labor, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards came in behind Barack Obama — the only Democratic front-runner with no national union support — in the Iowa caucuses. That left at least one union looking for a new candidate Friday.


International Association of Fire Fighters President Howard Schaitberger called the support for Obama "breathtaking," after seeing his union's candidate, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., falter in Iowa and drop out of the race. Despite the money and the manpower organized labor shifted to Iowa for Clinton, Edwards and Dodd — one union ran television ads for Clinton while another shifted workers in-state to stump for Edwards — Obama still won convincingly.

"The tsunami was far greater than we could attempt to hold off," Schaitberger said.

Schaitberger said he talked personally with both Obama and Clinton on Friday. But the firefighters would not immediately endorse, he said. "Sometime after March, we will begin to reevaluate the remaining candidates," Schaitberger said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080104/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_labor_2;_ylt=Ao_SAGQBMS9N4VctgC06WQNh24cA

[Common Sense Party]

1. Perhaps labor ain't what it used to be? nt

[Deja Q]

4. The workers or the greedy pigs representing them?

I haven't kept up with what union leaders do, and have taken a fair amount of what they say at face value, but I used to have a coworker who was badly treated - especially when she started making claims how the upper echelon was even more corrupt than the HR department.

Indeed, if anything we may as well ask "How do we climb the ranks?"

[Virginia Dare]

8. Kind of a broad brush you're painting with there isn't it?

I'll agree with you, there are some corrupt union leaders out there, but not all are cut from the same cloth.

[JoFerret]

18. That's a very unfair statement

When we have real voracious hogs gone wild. And most union leaders are very far from greedy pigs. Why buy the anti-union hype and misrepresentation?

[skooooo]

2. "The tsunami.."

Interesting use of words. Remember in 2004 when there was a "tidal wave" of voters switching democrat? Maybe that was just the beginning of a movement toward the center (and away from the right). Are people finally starting to wake the F up?

[Deja Q]

3. Good.

I know too many people, Republicans, Democrats, you name it, all of which have been less enamored of unions over the last few years. Including an eyewitness for some experiences a few acquaintances had, but that's another story.

And then came Hillary. Seems some unions are, to spin Obama, as fond of Punjab as she is.

The other countries are very competent. We don't need to build any other nations. Apart from America. We need hope and common sense and ability to work with others. (there is a difference between offshoring and true globalization...)

[Virginia Dare]

10. Much of the union negativity comes from the media...

I'm involved in organized labor, and we're honest and work for progressive causes and worker rights. Maybe that's hard to believe, but that is still our core.

[JoFerret]

19. ...and serving and representing the interest of big business

At the expense of working people.
Anti-unionism is all about destroying the only thing that stands between big business rapaciousness and the rest of us.

[doc03]

5. Who the Union endorses has little

to do with who the membership votes for. Ever hear of the Reagan Democrats? I think our Union (leaders) taught the Democratic Congress how to be spineless. The Union fat cats failed to stand up to the Union buster Reagan and we have been on the decline ever since.

[Bitwit1234]

6. So it all comes out....

Obama makes it up with the Health Care Industry. Now he is against Labor and the Unions that made this country...I think it is time the press told what the hell he really is...

[qwlauren35]

7. Wow!

Seems like you've got a lot of anger there...

If he does win the primaries, will you vote for him? C'mon. Be Honest...

[doc03]

11. What in the hell are you talking about? Are you being sarcastic

or are you serious. There is nothing there saying Obama doesn't support the Unions, it's the other way around the Unions supported his opponents and he still won.

[ngant17]

12. Nonsense statements about Obama

BTW Obama is coming from the south side of Chicago, the city that gave us the Haymarket martyrs and the original "May Day". Obama has a 90 percent voting record on labor issues in the Illinois Senate. Obama walked picket lines while a state senator. Obama has been consistently pro-union over the course of his career.

"And, to the doubters I say, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Just wait until we have a Labor Department under President Barack Obama."
Cong. Jan Schakowsky , speaking at a March 03, 2007 labor rally in Chicago.

[msongs]

9. workers and unions are evil special interests doncha know? nt

[jaysunb]

13. Labor "leaders" have always been a problem.

Feather bedding has been the rule since the beginning of the movement in this country. The elected or appointed leaders are exactly the same as most politicians...corrupt & untrustworthy.
They keep their people in line on behalf of their masters (who are usually responsible for their being in the position in the first place, and worst of all, they almost always sell their people out at contract time.

That's just the way it is. :evilfrown:

[pberq]

14. so that's the way it is?

I'm a local officer of a national union that is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and I haven't seen anything resembling what you say.

Two nights ago I attended a meeting of our local central labor council. You may be surprised to hear that the union leaders present discussed strategy for achieving pro-worker, progressive goals.

[jaysunb]

15. On second thought...

I should not have thrown a blanket over every person involved in Union affairs. I know for a fact that there are those who truly believe and work hard at serving the needs of the members.

I apologize.

[JoFerret]

16. Maybe the support was SPLIT between the two

.

[OKthatsIT]

17. Watch out now...Hillary was suppose to reign supreme.

She was tapped by the Bilderbergs last year in Ottawa. And Ruppert Murdoch promised her the media exposure.

And didn't Clinton scouts find Obama in Ilinois State Senate? How did Obama get enough money to run for his Senate position. It would need more than local organizers to pull that off. Doesn't it cost several million to run for US Senate? Who's been funding Obama? Anyone know?

If they can devise a plan to bring down Obama..I'm sure we'll see one. Bloomberg will jump in after the primaries..Independent Candidate. America won't trust him.

[JoFerret]

20. Time to end the anti-Hillary rants.

imo.

[davsand]

21. Why not pull the reports and find out?

Fed reports are all available on line.

I know where some of it came from because I wrote the freaking checks and even hosted a fundraiser.



And before you ask, I am Labor and damn proud of it. Illinois Labor was 100% there for Obama in the General in spite of the fact they split in that Primary.

One of Obama's opponents in that Primary was Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes who is equally well respected by Labor. Dan pulled a lot of support from the trades while Obama ruled with the service unions. State AFL-CIO endorsed Hynes in the Primary and worked hard for Obama in the General.

Regards!


Laura