USA Today: Democrats give unions new clout

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-09-10-democrats-union_N.htm

By Ken Dilanian, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The Democratic majority in Congress, which was elected with the help of $57.6 million in campaign contributions from unions, has pushed measures to increase wages on public projects, ease rules for unionizing workplaces and cut funding for corruption investigators.

Veto threats from President Bush and opposition by Republicans in the Senate, where the rules allow the minority to block legislation, have prevented those and other union-endorsed proposals from becoming law. But labor lobbyists say they are setting the stage for 2009, when they expect a Democrat in the White House.

One immediate impact of labor's clout has come in trade policy: Democrats are demanding union-backed changes to environmental, worker safety and other elements of four trade agreements negotiated by the Bush administration with South Korea, Columbia, Panama and Peru. Trade agreements require congressional approval.

"It's pure political payoff," said Rick Berman, a corporate lobbyist and public relations consultant who directs the Center for Union Facts, an anti-labor group. "The unions said, 'We got the money. You listen to us or you're going hungry.' "

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said principle, not payback, was guiding Democrats on labor issues. "Labor is certainly doing much better than they did under Republicans, because Republicans are very hostile to labor unions generally," he said.

Labor unions gave 87% of their $65.8 million in political contributions in the 2006 elections to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group that tracks campaign funds.

FULL story at link.

[Mountainman]

1. What do you call it when repubs listen to their corporate contributors?

"It's pure political payoff,"