Research Briefing

As Unions Grow Increasingly Frustrated With Obama’s Stalled Agenda, They Call In Biden To Explain

“Vice President Joe Biden plans to visit Central Florida on Monday …[ and will] speak at the winter meeting of the AFL-CIO executive council, according to administration officials.” (Mark K. Matthews, “Vice President Joe Biden To Visit Clermont On Monday,” Orlando Sentinel, 2/26/10)

UNION BOSSES CALLING IN BIDEN TO DISCUSS ADMINISTRATION’S  DISAPPOINTING JOB PERFORMANCE

Unions Feel They Put Up “Big Time In Money And Volunteers And Support” And Now They Are “Getting Thrown Under The Bus.” “‘Here's labor getting thrown under the bus again,’ said John Gage, the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 600,000 workers. ‘It's really frustrating for labor, and a lot of union people are thinking: We put out big time in money and volunteers and support. And it seems like the little things that could have been aren't being done.’” (James Hohmann, “Labor Steams Over Dem Inaction,” Politico, 02/10/10)

Unions Feel That Obama Hasn’t Delivered and That Some Senate Democrats Are Part Of The “Problem.” “Obama said he would push for greater unionization at the Transportation Security Administration, but it hasn't happened. Obama has pushed for education programs that have long been unpopular with teachers' unions. And then, in his State of the Union, the president called for Congress to strengthen trade relationships with South Korea, Panama and Columbia. The support for those trade agreements irked Gerard, the leader of the steelworkers union, who praises Speaker Nancy Pelosi but blames the upper chamber. ‘Our problem is the Senate,’ Gerard said. ‘The only thing they can pass is the washroom.’” (James Hohmann, “Labor Steams Over Dem Inaction,” Politico, 02/10/10)

American Rights At Work Executive Director Kim Freeman “Acknowledged ‘Frustration’ With The Lack Of Movement.”  “Kim Freeman Brown, the executive director of a D.C.-based non-profit called American Rights at Work, acknowledged ‘frustration’ with the lack of movement. ‘I implore Congress to listen to the voice of their constituents who want change, and so far we haven't delivered good enough on that promise,’ she said. ‘To the degree that we don't address these real bread and butter issues, we will have failed America's workers.’” (James Hohmann, “Labor Steams Over Dem Inaction,” Politico, 02/10/10)

UNIONS EXPECTED RESULTS AFTER INVESTING IN OBAMA …

Vice President Biden To Labor Union: “[W]e owe you.” (Michael O’Brien, “Biden To Labor Group: We Owe You,” The Hill, 5/12/09)

In 2008, “Organized labor put up some $450 million to get Democrats elected.” (Matthew Kaminski, “Let's ‘Share The Wealth,’” The Wall Street Journal, 12/6/08)

• During The 2008 Cycle, Labor Contributed At Least $526,597 Directly To Obama. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/14/10)

During The 2008 Cycle, Labor Contributed More Than $6.6 Million To Democrats Combined. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/14/10)

During The 2010 Cycle, Labor Has Contributed At Least $1.4 Million To Democrats Combined So Far. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 1/14/10)

AND HE INITIALLY SERVED THEM WELL …

Obama Appointed Former Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), A “Longtime Union Ally” And Daughter Of A Teamster, As Labor Secretary. “Mr. Obama's labor secretary, longtime union ally and former California Rep. Hilda Solis, is the daughter of a Teamsters shop steward. She recently moved to quash a Bush administration regulation that would have increased scrutiny of union finances to root out corruption.” (S.A. Miller, “Unions Benefit From Obama Decisions,” The Washington Times, 5/5/09)

Obama’s First Bill, The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Was A Pro-Union Bill That Made It Easier For Workers To Sue Employers. “The first bill Mr. Obama signed was a union-backed measure that makes it easier for workers to sue employers for wage discrimination.” (S.A. Miller, “Unions Benefit From Obama Decisions,” The Washington Times, 5/5/09)

Obama Has Signed Four Pro-Union Executive Orders. “He signed four pro-union executive orders, most notably one requiring federal construction projects to favor ‘project labor agreements’ that set aside jobs for union workers.” (S.A. Miller, “Unions Benefit From Obama Decisions,” The Washington Times, 5/5/09)

UAW Was “The Big Winner In The Chrysler Bankruptcy Saga.” “The United Auto Workers union would appear to be the big winner in the Chrysler bankruptcy saga, having exercised its considerable political muscle to win a 55% stake in the country's third-largest automaker.” (Tom Krisher and Dave Carpenter, “UAW Wins Big Chrysler Stake But Can't Run Company,” The Associated Press, 5/2/09)

• Under New Plan, UAW Will Also Own 17.5 Percent Of Reorganized GM. “Under the new UAW terms, the union's health-care trust would own 17.5% of a reorganized GM, in exchange for retiree health-care concessions.” (John D. Stoll, Jeff McCracken, and Neil King Jr., “GM-Union Deal Raises U.S. Stake,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/27/09)

BUT LATELY, THE BOSSES HAVE GROWN CONCERNED WITH LACK OF RESULTS …

Obama Failed To Get Union’s Pick For National Labor Relations Board, Craig Becker, Through Senate Confirmation. (Cloture Motion On Craig Becker, Of Illinois, To Be A Member Of The National Labor Relations Board, Senate Roll Call Vote #22, Rejected 52-33, D 50-2, R 0-33, 2/9/10)

• Becker Works As Lawyer For AFL-CIO, SEIU And ACORN. “Becker [is] an associate general counsel to both the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the AFL-CIO”; “Mr. Becker says he ‘worked with and provided advice’ to SEIU Local 880 in Chicago … one of two SEIU locals currently in the national spotlight for its deep ties with Acorn … Acorn co-founder Wade Rathke praised Mr. Becker by name … ‘For my money, Craig’s signal contribution has been his work in crafting and executing the legal strategies and protections which have allowed the effective organization of informal workers ...” (Kevin Bogardus, “Labor Board Nominee Heats Up Battle Over Union-Organizing Rules, The Hill, 01/25/10; Editorial, “Acorn’s Ally At The NLRB,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/15/09)

In January, Obama Had To Meet With Union Bosses To “Defuse Their Anger” Over Cadillac Tax In Health Care Bill. “With labor groups warning that the tax will infuriate a key part of the Democratic base — union members — President Obama gas agreed to meet with several top labor leaders on Monday to address their concerns and try to defuse their anger.” (Steven Greenhouse, “Unions Rally To Oppose A Tax On Health Insurance,” The New York Times, 1/8/10)

• Union Opposition To Tax On Health Benefits To Pay For Government-Run Health Care Become “Deeply Entrenched” After Already Giving Up On Public Option. “In particular, it infuriates union leaders and members, many of whom regard high-end insurance policies as a major employment benefit… But their opposition is deeply entrenched. And, in a familiar dynamic, they are less willing to compromise now that their other key priority--the public option--has been scuttled.” (Brian Beutler, “Latest Health Care Flashpoint Strains Relationships Among Democrats,” Talking Points Memo, 1/8/10)

Unions Pushed Hard For Becker Because They Believed Much Of What Stalled Employee Free Choice Act Would Have Done “Will Be Realized Through The Rule-Making Power Of The NLRB.” “The battle over nominations to the NLRB, even more than EFCA, may be what really determines the extent of labor's gains under Obama. Should Obama persevere and see his nominations confirmed, there is reason to believe that much of what organized labor hopes to accomplish via EFCA will be realized through the rule-making power of the NLRB.” (Dmitri Iglitzin and Steven Hill, “Obama’s Pro-Union Nominations to Labor Relations Board Stalled,” The Huffington Post, 01/25/10)

• EFCA “Is The Top Priority For Unions, Who See It As A Means Of Replenishing Membership.” (Karoun Demirjian, “‘Card Check’ On Hold,” CQ Today, 3/11/09)

… AND ARE DISCUSSING LETTING OBAMA, CONGRESSIONAL DEMS GO

Steelworkers Union Leader Leo Gerard Said Unions Going To Have “Hard Time Getting Members Out To Work” For Democrats In Midterms. “Union leaders warn that the Democrats' lackluster performance in power is sapping the morale of activists going into the midterm elections. ‘Right now if we don’t get positive changes to the agenda, we’re going to have a hard time getting members out to work,’ said United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard, in an interview. ‘There’s no use pretending any longer.’” (James Hohmann, “Labor Steams Over Dem Inaction,” Politico, 02/10/10)

Government Employees Union Boss John Gage Said Union Workers Beginning To Ask “What Have The Democrats Done For Us?” “‘You're just not going to be able to go to our membership in the November elections and say, “Come on, let's do it again. Look at what the Democratic administration has done for us!”’ [John] Gage said. ‘People are going to say, “Huh? What have the Democrats done for us?”’” (James Hohmann, “Labor Steams Over Dem Inaction,” Politico, 02/10/10)