When will organized labor realize that democrats are taking their money and votes and running?

Instead of blaming republican obstructionists during a democratic majority in Washington DC?








(AP) WASHINGTON - Labor鈥檚 high hopes for major gains under President Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress have dimmed, raising fresh doubts about union leverage even in the best of political times.





Prospects for a health overhaul have faded. Even slimmer are the chances of achieving labor鈥檚 chief goal, passage of a bill making it easier for unions to organize workers. A bipartisan jobs bill passed this week by the Senate drew tepid praise from the AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, who called it a "Band-Aid on an amputated limb" _ far short of what unions wanted.





This wasn鈥檛 what unions expected a year ago after spending more than $400 million to help elect Obama and increase the size of Democratic majorities in the Senate and House.





Leaders of labor鈥檚 largest federation will try to figure out how to refocus their political agenda when they begin their annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Monday.





Another setback came in January when two Senate Democrats joined Republicans in blocking the appointment of labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Becker has worked for the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).





Republicans have said they fear Becker would push the board to require companies to recognize unions if they can get a simple majority of employees to sign union cards _ the same "card check" measure that鈥檚 stalled in Congress.





Labor leaders were counting on Obama put Becker in the post when Congress was out of session. They were disappointed when Obama said he wouldn鈥檛 do it anytime soon.





"Enough is enough," Trumka said in an e-mail to labor activists. He urged union members to call the White House and "demand that President Obama fight Republican obstructionism" on Becker鈥檚 nomination.





Some labor experts say unions have come up flat in mounting an effective liberal response to "tea party" activists who helped Republican Scott Brown win the special Senate election in Washington to succeed Democrat Edward M. Kennedy, who died last year. An AFL-CIO poll showed that 49 percent of union households supported Brown.





"There鈥檚 been no indication that there鈥檚 muscle behind their money," said Leon Fink, a labor historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "There was no equivalent mobilization for public works or for a progressive health care measure."





Even more troubling for unions, their membership in the private sector fell 10 percent during Obama鈥檚 first year in office to a historic low of 7.2 percent. A poll this past week from the Pew Research Center for the People %26amp; the Press found that 41 percent of those surveyed have a favorable view of unions, compared with 58 percent in a similar survey in 2007.


http://kstp.com/business/stories/S143926鈥?/a>|||This AP article is propaganda. They start off with "Labor鈥檚 high hopes for major gains under President Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress have dimmed" WFT? The majority of the "Stimulus" bill went to state governments so they would not have to lay off any state employees (ie UNION) Then Obama saved all the union autoworker jobs, by bailing out GM %26amp; Chrysler! Did you know the autoworkers deal with GM includes a healthcare package that is better than what Congress has! And we are paying for it.





Then they quote Trumka, "urged union members to call the White House and "demand that President Obama fight Republican obstructionism." The Democrats control the Congress, how could the Republicans be obstructionist? The AP is nothing but an organ for the Democrats.





As for your question, I was in the Steel Workers %26amp; CWA unions. Generally speaking, the union members vote "politicians" into union jobs. It doesn't take very long for those union leaders to become corrupt, just like regular politicians. But the union membership tends to be more loyal because its difficult for them to believe their friends would sell them out. But like all politicians, the union leadership only cares about getting re-lected, and will tell the union people what they want to hear. I have seen and heard it firsthand.|||Because people are stupid. Most critters get collectively smarter the more you put together. People get collectively more stupid the more you put together.|||Never as long as the let the union leaders decide for them. Government dollars speak louder than union dues. it goes directly in the leaders pockets.|||This what happens when you build a political party comprised of small insignificant splinter groups each with their own agendas. The Democrats house of cards is about to fall .|||Only after they are broke and needing a bailout, I am sure the Union leaders realize this, as it appears to me that they have purchased certain politicians votes and policies|||It's ruining in the running of society.