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Labor seeks political payback : AFL-CIO head says elections 'mandate for union agenda'
Associated Press ^ | November 18, 2006 | Will Lester

Posted on 11/18/2006 8:01:49 AM PST by george76

Unions spent more than $100 million getting out the vote, knocked on millions of doors and delivered Election Day support to Democrats running for the House by a more than 2-to-1 ratio.

Now organized labor is spelling out what it wants from the new Democratic Congress.

The priorities include raising the minimum wage, expanding health care and improving pension protections.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney sees the elections as a "mandate for a union agenda."

Likewise, says Bill Samuel, legislative director for the AFL-CIO, "we have an opportunity to push our agenda...

The AFL-CIO executive council is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss various issues, including the legislative agenda.

The aggressive stance is a sharp turnaround from the past few years.

"There were days during the last six years when we were in a defensive crouch protecting 60 years of workplace advances," Samuel said.

Organized labor clearly expects the Democratic Congress to help pass pro-worker legislation after an unprecedented get- out-the-vote effort.

Organized labor spent an unprecedented amount of money for midterm elections on its get-out-the-vote-effort - $40 million by the AFL-CIO alone - with 187,000 union volunteers in the AFL-CIO program knocking on more than 3 million doors in the final four days.

Labor did more microtargeting of voters, but the most effective technique was still worker-to-worker contact.

(Excerpt) Read more at rockymountainnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: afl; aflcio; cio; congress; corruption; cutandrunls; democraticcongress; democrats; election; elections; iraqbackstabbers; lbackstabbers; losertarians; mandate; nea; organizedlabor; taxes; union; unionagenda; unions; walmart
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To: KevinDavis

I believe that many unions have been taken over by democrat politicians who main goal is the election and re-election of more democrats.

Generally they care very little for the union members themselves. They care mostly for the unions dues that can be generated.

Supporting socialized medicine would mean union expansions into health care...more union nurses, staff...who would pay more unions dues.

Private company unions have been declining.

Therefore the only growth in union membership has been in government unions like the NEA ( government teachers union ) and the county & city government unions.

The union bosses would love to get their hands on some of our health care money.



Does this help answer your question ?


61 posted on 11/18/2006 10:21:21 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76; All

I kinda knew that... I was being sarcastic..


62 posted on 11/18/2006 10:25:49 AM PST by KevinDavis (Nancy you ignorant Slut!!!!!)
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To: beckysueb

Recently there was a big fight inside the AFL-CIO where the Teamsters and other unions left.

Even the Teamsters got tired of seeing so much money and time that was wasted on the democrats.


63 posted on 11/18/2006 10:29:50 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

Some stories on unions:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/unions.htm


64 posted on 11/19/2006 8:32:59 AM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/optimism_nov8th.htm)
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To: george76

"Organized labor spent an unprecedented amount of money for midterm elections on its get-out-the-vote-effort - $40 million by the AFL-CIO alone - with 187,000 union volunteers in the AFL-CIO program knocking on more than 3 million doors in the final four days."

That is illegal.


65 posted on 11/19/2006 9:27:40 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (I thank the RNC for freeing me to vote my values rather then political party. It is liberating!)
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To: george76

Look what Woodrow wilson did when he did not pursue Samuel gompers into prison for labor organization violation - but he had to suck up to the Brits, whose labor party was crying because they were being depleted by losses on the front. Genie is now out of the bottle - dial 1-(800) 555 - WHAH!


66 posted on 11/19/2006 12:10:40 PM PST by Sword_Svalbardt (Sword Svalbardt)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

" That is illegal. "

bump


67 posted on 11/19/2006 12:13:15 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: traviskicks

excellent report on the unions effect on businesses going broke.


then all the employees are out of job and their communities are without a strong tax base.


68 posted on 11/19/2006 12:17:33 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

Democrat overreach in 3...2...1...


69 posted on 11/19/2006 1:12:07 PM PST by Free Vulcan (Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I'm not so sure. Election Day is a paid holiday for the UAW. In Michigan, state offices were closed, as well.


70 posted on 11/19/2006 1:14:46 PM PST by be-baw
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To: Jazzman1

Remember, the Unions back Amnesty for illegal aliens!!!


71 posted on 11/19/2006 7:40:41 PM PST by Thunder90
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