This is big news to me.
I am a union blogger and I can tell you, there aren’t that many of us. Now having said that, we are a lively and opinionated bunch.
So, for my first Booman (I’m a lurker mostly) post, I wanted to quote Richard from UnionReview:
So, here’s Richard in his own words:
I am going with Obama – and I think you should too.
I believe that Obama is serious when he says he will strengthen our ability to organize unions. I believe him when he says that he will fight for the Employee Free Choice Act. I believe him when he states that his labor appointees will support workers’ rights and that he will work to ban the permanent replacement of workers.
Last week, American Axle decided to start advertising for scabs so they could re-open after the strike that started on February 26th. Here’s the funny thing, did you even know about the strike?
What I like about Richard’s endorsement is that he talked about strikes and how he thinks an Obama administration will handle it:
Many working people know that going on strike is often a last resort – but that it is a tool that we are often left no choice but to employ. Unfortunately, many working people also know what it is like to lose our jobs to scabs crossing our lines and taking less money, unaffordable health care, and take what they can get their hands on.
Can you imagine a president coming out and saying that he supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and to STRIKE if necessary? We need to be able to strike so that we can stand up for ourselves without the worry that some moronic scab will take our jobs. Obama has pledged to work toward BANNING replacement workers!
Richard even tackles the issue of misclassification and then goes on to discuss the Kentucky River decision. He does so very powerfully:
Obama is a cosponsor of legislation that would overturn the “Kentucky River” decisions that classified hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as “supervisors” who are not protected by federal labor laws – and that goes a long way with me. We need more Mickey Mouse laws overturned and stronger, union-made laws put in place. I truly believe that Obama can do this … and more!
It was some time I ago I posted a piece on being 100% out for Obama, but I don’t think I captured blue collar issues in the way that Richard was able to with his post.
If you’d like to figure out how to talk to blue collar workers and get them to vote for your candidate, I highly recommend you head over to UnionReview and check out the stuff from Richard, especially his endorsement.
WEll, that’s my blue collar union take on this. If you’ve never been to UnionReview, I really highly recommend a trip.
I’m glad you posted this diary bendygirl and hope you will do more diaries concerning working people. Thanks also for the link to UnionReview. I believe without strong unions there would have been no middle class in this country nor will lower income workers ever be able to have their wages lifted as an outgrowth of strong union wages-the real trickle down effect if you will. Unions raise everyone’s wages not just union workers.
I know I’ve said this before but the news channel-CNBC that is all about the stock market drives me crazy..why isn’t there a 24 hour news channel devoted to workers/union business? Pretty much a rhetorical question I know..workers don’t really count.
That Kentucky River decision really infuriated me and so many others, nice to know Obama seems to be up on labor and union problems and be so pro-union and not just paying lip service to union people and all working people really.
And no, I didn’t know about that strike.
ah, yes, my frustration at getting others to know about the strike as well. Tula Connell posted over at DMI and also on Firedog lake’s front pages about the strike. They’ve been out since February 26th and only now are the two sides talking with AAM finally turning over papers late last week that the UAW has been asking for since the start.
There are other union blog sites out there too, besides Richard’s Union Review. My blog is Women, Unions and Our stories and it’s available here:
http://uniongal.blogspot.com/
There’s also Joe’s Union Review which is available here:
http://anti-union.blogspot.com/
I had posted a piece on my site yesterday that I’d intended to write up as a diary on Kos, but instead, this morning I posted about the 1 day strike, so I think I’ll post about the Parma Ohio proposed GM strike over here. There isn’t all that much interest in working issues on DKos, so it’s a bit frustrating to me.
The diary on the 1 day strike is here:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/8/74413/84048/155/492083
And thanks for commenting.