Unions seen as key to victory for Obama

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Vindy (Ohio) .com


By David Skolnick

Unions ‘reach blue-collar workers better than anyone,’ a YSU professor says.

YOUNGSTOWN — A well-coordinated effort by organized labor of its members could go a long way toward getting Democrat Barack Obama elected president.

So say John Russo, co-director of Youngstown State University’s Center for Working Class Studies and coordinator of its labor studies program at the Williamson College of Business, and Paul Sracic, chairman of YSU’s political science department.

“The American labor movement spent more time in 2004 and 2000 organizing external groups and not enough time with internal organizing” which led, in part, to the defeat of their endorsed candidates, Russo said. “They’re now spending a lot of money and time organizing internally much like they did in 1992” when they helped elect Democrat Bill Clinton as president.

“What other group has the organizational capabilities of labor unions?” Sracic said. “They can reach blue-collar workers better than anyone.”


Read more: http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/oct/05/unions-seen-as-key-to-victory-for-obama/

[billyoc]

1. The Republicans can't match the Union ground game.

They have no equivalent.

[Ashy Larry]

2. They have lots of churches that serve a similar function.

I'm not sure its an equivalent but they certainly helped Bush.