Obama touts pro-worker achievements in speech to union leaders

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4580

By Mark Gruenberg
4 August 2010

WASHINGTON - Reminding union leaders of a long list of pro-worker actions by his administration – and contrasting that with the anti-union bias of his predecessor – Democratic President Barack Obama Wednesday posed the upcoming election as a clear choice between moving forward with his policies or moving back to the past.

Obama’s speech to the AFL-CIO Executive Council was repeatedly interrupted by applause, and at least once by a standing ovation, when he declared “we are going to keep fighting for the Employee Free Choice Act.”

But he warned the struggle to pass legislation to make it easier for workers to join unions faces a difficult road due to Republican threats of filibusters.

Obama said the economic hole past GOP policies dug for workers was so deep over the last decade it would take some time for his administration to dig the U.S. out.
“They want to move America backwards; we want to go forward,” Obama declared.

Obama’s speech drew a positive reaction from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who introduced him.

“It helped in lighting the fire under the base, and charted the future he wanted,” Trumka told the press afterwards “It was particularly gratifying that he wants to pass EFCA.” Pressed on what Obama would do to help labor beat the GOP blockade of the bill, Trumka replied: “We’re working to come up with a way to pass it and they (the administration) are active participants” in those talks.

FULL story at link.