Free Republic

With the midterm elections November 7, organized labor has been gearing up for its biggest political blitz ever. Since being rocked by internal divisions last year and failing to unseat President Bush in 2004, labor leaders have been eager to prove that unions still matter and that the labor ground game can deliver votes for the Democratic Party. Political observers believe that in some close races, labor could help swing this month’s midterm elections—an outcome the beleaugured union movement desperately desires. Although labor’s diminished power would probably not overcome a larger change in the national political currents, those currents seem...

Hundreds of machinists employed by Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson voted Sunday to reject the company's final labor contract, and then voted to go on strike. The strike is effective as of Monday, November 6. Since October 2, Raytheon had been negotiating a new contract with union leaders representing the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, Local 933. Union representatives say the sticking points have included cost-of-living wage increases, affordable health care, and a secure pension plan. The current contract, which covers about 2,000 workers in manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance operations at Raytheon expired Sunday. Raytheon Missile Systems is...