Dems try mending fences with labor

[CatWoman]

Can Dems mend fences with labor in time for the election?

Amalgamated, the bank that was founded by clothing workers and remains union-owned, is announcing today that it will now be handling all of the primary banking needs of the Democratic National Committee, which had previously done its banking with Bank of America.

The DNC’s move from Bank of America to the labor-owned Amalgamated is a sign Dems recognize that their populist message risks getting muddled by tensions with labor, and that they need to get everyone on the same page in advance of a very tough fall campaign. While it is easy to see as a symbolic move, if it means that Dems are taking those tensions seriously, it’s a good thing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/dems-try-mending-fences-with-labor/2012/08/10/3e70e84a-e325-11e1-a25e-15067bb31849_blog.html

[sibelian]

1. Smart thinking. nt

[Larkspur]

2. It's good that Labor took a pge from the LGBT groups

Labor is refusing to donate to the cost of the DNC Convention, which is held in North Carolina, "a right to work for less money" state.

Progressive groups will also need to galvanize and keep pressure on our elected Dems after the election because that's when some want to sell out the American people by cutting Soc Sec and Medicare benefits by raising the starting age to 69 or 70. Right now it's at 67 for Soc. Sec. It should be reduced at least 2 years as compensation for those of us 50+ year olds who were laid off from our jobs and have trouble finding good paying work, especially in our fields of expertise.

Labor should also put pressure on Obama over the "free-trade" deals. Either not pass them or add strong compensation for American labor hurt by cheap or slave labor overseas.

Along with pressuring elected Dems, Labor needs to create a PR campaign to improve the reputations of unions. That is something they can do without politicians and it will do more to help Democratic politicians be sympathetic to their causes if Labor makes their case the the general public, like Ohio Labor and Progressives did over SB 5 in Ohio.

As FDR said to progressives of his era, "Make me do it!" That should be the rallying cry of Labor and Progressives going forward, but especially after the election.

[Teamster Jeff]

4. I agree. Time for labor to push back nt

[Earth_First]

3. Dems are *SO* serious about mending the fences, they are holding the DNC in Charlotte, N.C.

The state with the lowest union membership in the country, the *SECOND* right-to-work state that the convention has been held in as many years...

Careful, that crow lands on the fence, and it's liable to fall over...