Organized labor targets Bush for unemployment rate

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (AP)

This Labor Day will be no picnic for millions of Americans who are unemployed or unable to find full-time work that will cover the bills. ---

“I travel this country constantly,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said. “People are very dissatisfied with the way this country is going. They want jobs and the ability to make a bread- and-butter living. They want affordable health care, and they want their basic freedoms honored on the job.”

Organized labor will unleash its largest effort ever, spending more than $40 million to educate and mobilize union members to oppose Bush in 2004.

Because union workers represent just 13.2 percent of the total work force and are declining, the AFL-CIO is creating a non-employment union, Working America, to attract activists who may not be able to join a union at work, but want to participate in labor’s issues.

[alphafemale]

1. I'm targetting Bush for unemployment too.

:evilgrin:

[mhr]

2. See My Letter To The Editor

Here,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=114&topic_id=1141

[wellst0nev0ter]

3. What Are The Chances Bush Will Talk To THESE Union Workers? (n/t)

[Wwagsthedog]

4. I'm confused

"Because union workers represent just 13.2 percent of the total work force and are declining, the AFL-CIO is creating a non-employment union, Working America, to attract activists who may not be able to join a union at work, but want to participate in labor’s issues."

What does a non-employment union, "Working America" mean to those that are unemployed? Can anyone explain?

[kodi]

5. are you serious?

your remark

"What does a non-employment union, "Working America" mean to those that are unemployed? Can anyone explain?"

is a non-sequiter.

the term refers to the collective action of workers who are not affiliated by employers or industries with a union already.

it's primary objective is not providing unionized jobs to the unemployed, but organizing those who are working by providing the workers with an avenue for collctive action. i see nowhere in the articles i have read that unemployed would be denied access to this sort of thing.

is your position that it is the responsibility of unions to hire the unemployed?

[Wwagsthedog]

6. "are you serious?"

n/t

[Nottingham]

7. Bush doesn't know it but he is helping the Unons

More oppressed a population the more seeds of revolution is sowed

[Mel]

8. yea *Bush is a uniter

and the people are uniting to kick his Whistle-Ass.

I also think the so-called 'free trade' is helping the Unions people don't like their jobs going overseas and it's now hitting the white collar workers.

[this_side_up]

9. Yep. And if people

ever realize that this country is steadily losing the
jobs and industries that made us independent from other
countries.....

Heck, if the rest of the world chose to stop selling us
finished goods, we're screwed.

Where are the machinists? Where are the companies that
make the machines the machinists use? Gone gone gone

But this has been going on since the 60s under every
administration.