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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLabor chief Richard Trumka: “We won’t be taken for granted”
http://www.salon.com/2012/11/12/labor_chief_richard_trumka_we_wont_be_taken_for_granted/
The AFL-CIO president talks Obama's win, the struggles ahead, and the movement's evolving political role
By Josh Eidelson (Contributing writer, Salon and In These Times) runs in Omaha Steve's circle
AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka (Credit: AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Unions had a good night last Tuesday. I think we were the margin in states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada, and probably three or four other ones, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka told Salon in a Wednesday interview. In Ohio, said Trumka, AFL-CIO members are 83 percent white. 40 percent are evangelicals, and 53 percent own guns. And they voted 70 percent for Barack Obama.
Building on last years successful referendum campaign to overturn collective bargaining attacks in Ohio, the AFL-CIO racked up 80,000 volunteer shifts and 2 million voter contacts in the state. An all-out labor effort also helped deliver victory for labor stalwarts like Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Baldwin. While unions effort to write collective bargaining rights into Michigans constitution fell flat, they beat back well-funded anti-union measures in Michigan and California that their enemies would love to take national.
So what happens now? As Salon has reported, the AFL-CIO announced earlier this year that it was rebooting its approach to politics. Trumka says Tuesdays results vindicate the first step: investing more cash in an independent infrastructure focused on door-to-door political organizing for pro-labor politicians, rather than in Democratic Party campaigns and committees. Now comes the hard part: making good on labors promise to hold those politicians accountable. One thing that were doing different than weve ever done before, said Trumka, is were not dismantling our program today. Instead, he promised, it will move from electoral politics to advocacy, and from advocacy to accountability.
As Tuesdays results rolled in, labor leaders were quick to claim a mandate for progressive governance, including greater stimulus, taxes on the rich rather than entitlement cuts, and immigration reform. On the latter, said Trumka, Republicans either get on board or they are on the path to oblivion.
FULL story at link.
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Labor chief Richard Trumka: “We won’t be taken for granted” (Original Post)
Omaha Steve
Nov 2012
OP
DJ13
(23,671 posts)1. Trumka: Republicans “either get on board or they are on the path to oblivion.”
This is how more Democrats need to act.
Stop with the "touchy feely" BS about "bargains" or "compromise".
The GOP wont be fair traders until they have no choice, so lets give them no choice.
jody
(26,624 posts)2. Unions represent about 7% of private sector workers and declining. Where will they get the $ to
finance their political candidates?
Omaha Steve
(99,649 posts)6. I gave to two Labor Pac's
And those that can't give in hard times, make calls and knock on doors. Labor was big on this in the rust belt that includes Ohio.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)3. John Boehner called
His car is dirty.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)4. kr. but they keep on being taken for granted.
limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)5. all bark?
99Forever
(14,524 posts)7. I hope you are correct...
... Mr Trumka, but given the tone I'm hearing so soon after the election, it's likely to be pretty crowded under the bus.