Obama thanks labor for hard-won rights at work

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP



By DARLENE SUPERVILLE

CINCINNATI (AP) - President Barack Obama declared Monday that modern benefits like paid leave, minimum wage and Social Security "all bear the union label," as he appealed to organized labor to help him win the health care fight in Congress.

"It was labor that helped build the largest middle class in history. So, even if you're not a union member, every American owes something to America's labor movement," said Obama, whose run for the presidency was energized in no small part by unions.

Obama asserted that "our recovery plan is working," but repeated that he won't be satisfied until jobs are much more plentiful.


President Barack Obama gestures as he addresses union workers and their families at the AFL-CIO Labor Day picnic at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Shortly after taking the oath, Obama confronted a rapidly deteriorating economy, a clogged credit system, failing or ailing banks and a a shaky stock market. He used his speech here to tick off a host of steps the administration has taken to steady the economy, and he made a special pitch for the health care overhaul he has pushed.




Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20090907/D9AIOHR00.html

[stuball111]

1. You are welcome Mr. Obama.. now...

How bout getting rid of "Right to work" legislation, bringing back the right to strike for collective bargaining, and the rights for people who want to organize to be protected, including they way we vote for unionizing.

[comtec]

4. *grabs some popcorn*

:popcorn:
Right to starve is a states rights issue.
Literally there is nothing he can do if a state legislature decided to rape their work force.
The only thing he can do is mandate a higher minimum wage, and eliminate tax on tips (thus the RAPE on tips that all food workers suffer)!

[Omaha Steve]

5. Not it is not

IF Congress would eliminate just one sentence from the Taft-Hartley Act, right to work would no longer be legal in ANY state.

[stuball111]

6. Good to see somebody knows what they are talking about...

:hi: Right to work is the most evil and ridiculous crap ever thought up, but then, it's a Repuke idea isn't it? Basically tells non-union people that they do indeed have the right to starve, and they way they propagandized it, and twisted it around, people bought into it, not realizing they were going against they very thing that the American dream is about, decent living, safety on the job, job security, and the mere fact that unions directly affect non-union wages and other things like workers comp, safety, and labor laws that protect their scabby asses. Fuck the Taft Hartley act, change it and get rid of right to work!It can be done, we have had to many years of GOP assholes screwing the working man and woman. Me personally, I would rather starve than work non-union, unless I was delegated to organize. :bounce:

[Ghost Dog]

2. Oy vey.

I sense trouble.

[2Design]

3. yes to unions n/t