"Electing Barack Obama and expanding the pro-worker majority in the House and Senate was dramatic," said Anna Burger, chair of the Change to Win federation. "And I think we set the stage for putting workers and working families back at the top of the agenda as opposed to the bottom of the agenda."
AFL-CIO Legislative Director Bill Samuel said labor\'s coming push to make sure elected officials follow through on the promise of real reform is a human rights struggle to restore the American Dream.
"It\'s not just about workers rights, but about human rights and improving the conditions for all workers," he said.
In Obama\'s home city, Chicago, unions held a Voices of Labor Hometown Inaugural Celebration.
"Really just brought a tear to my eye to really see that this country can really unify itself, this country can really get back on the right road, this country can truly heal some of the wounds I think - not only in race relations, but also in class divisions that I think this country\'s created," said John Coli, president of Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago. "And I\'m just so proud that our international, that labor in general, that the people of the United States have seen fit to make a change for the better - something that historically will pay dividends for generations to come."
Coli hopes to see the Helmets To Hardhats program – which brings veterans into well-paid union construction trades – flourish under Obama.
"These are the jobs that are still decent middle class wages. And you never, ever get as good of an employee or union member as when you get one of these returning veterans."
Frank Christianson, business manager for the Elevator Constructors union in Chicago, said he is especially interested in the new president\'s infrastructure construction plans to get the economy moving again.
This is "a great day for this country and a great day for labor," Christianson said. "I believe in the man with all my heart. He\'s gonna start working on the federal buildings, the schools, start the infrastructure on all that - elevators for us is very important and they should be updated for the safety of the public. The road work needs to be done, the bridges. I think all of this is gonna get the country workin\', get the country goin\' again."
Doug Cunningham reports for Workers Independent News. This article is adapted from reports on the WIN website, www.laborradio.org
Share
"Electing Barack Obama and expanding the pro-worker majority in the House and Senate was dramatic," said Anna Burger, chair of the Change to Win federation. "And I think we set the stage for putting workers and working families back at the top of the agenda as opposed to the bottom of the agenda."
AFL-CIO Legislative Director Bill Samuel said labor\’s coming push to make sure elected officials follow through on the promise of real reform is a human rights struggle to restore the American Dream.
"It\’s not just about workers rights, but about human rights and improving the conditions for all workers," he said.
In Obama\’s home city, Chicago, unions held a Voices of Labor Hometown Inaugural Celebration.
"Really just brought a tear to my eye to really see that this country can really unify itself, this country can really get back on the right road, this country can truly heal some of the wounds I think – not only in race relations, but also in class divisions that I think this country\’s created," said John Coli, president of Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago. "And I\’m just so proud that our international, that labor in general, that the people of the United States have seen fit to make a change for the better – something that historically will pay dividends for generations to come."
Coli hopes to see the Helmets To Hardhats program – which brings veterans into well-paid union construction trades – flourish under Obama.
"These are the jobs that are still decent middle class wages. And you never, ever get as good of an employee or union member as when you get one of these returning veterans."
Frank Christianson, business manager for the Elevator Constructors union in Chicago, said he is especially interested in the new president\’s infrastructure construction plans to get the economy moving again.
This is "a great day for this country and a great day for labor," Christianson said. "I believe in the man with all my heart. He\’s gonna start working on the federal buildings, the schools, start the infrastructure on all that – elevators for us is very important and they should be updated for the safety of the public. The road work needs to be done, the bridges. I think all of this is gonna get the country workin\’, get the country goin\’ again."
Doug Cunningham reports for Workers Independent News. This article is adapted from reports on the WIN website, www.laborradio.org