Working Life

   At the end of the day, when the madness of our election process is over, each of us is likely, no matter who we individually supported, to be disappointed. But, as I’ve pointed out since the 2006 elections, there is much to be optimistic about when it comes to the issue of trade—-at least […]

Read the full story

   At the end of the day, when the madness of our election process is over, each of us is likely, no matter who we individually supported, to be disappointed. But, as I’ve pointed out since the 2006 elections, there is much to be optimistic about when it comes to the issue of trade—-at least […]

Read the full story

    Yesterday, I riffed on the issue I had with Barack Obama’s comments about Social Security and, generally, about the impulse of too many Democrats to buy the framework that there is some "crisis" in Social Security. Today, Paul Krugman picks up the case (I would say that Krugman was copying my post but really […]

Read the full story

I gagged on this during the infamous Tim Russert interview with Barack Obama but shrugged my shoulders in despair. But, I shouldn’t have. When Barack Obama repeated the Republican/Wall Street line about the crisis in Social Security, he was dead wrong. And he and other Democrats have got to stop mouthing this frame.    Here […]

Read the full story

    I’m trying to keep election news t a minimum so we can focus on labor and workers’ issues that get less discussion but, let’s face it, people want to know and politics will dominate even more in 2008. So…though he didn’t get the national union’s endorsement, John Edwards did pretty well yesterday as nine  […]

Read the full story

    So, as a short follow up to yesterday’s post on the decision by SEIU to be neutral at a national level and let its state-level organizations make up their own minds, here’s some intel on where at least one insider believes states might go. Some of this is probably obvious–and feel free to disagree […]

Read the full story

This is huge: Republican voters are now overwhelmingly opposed to so-called "free trade." Not surprising but really a potential goldmine for Democrats—if they have the foresight and courage to seize it. We are talking about a possible major realignment based on economic issues.   Let me talk first about the poll and, then, say something […]

Read the full story

    I’m here in the Windy City for the Change To Win convention. I’ve only got a few minutes before the convention goes back into session–and there is no wireless in the hall so it’s tough to get real-time stuff up (memo to unions: if you want reporters to get the message out, set up […]

Read the full story

   The Service Employees International Union will not endorse any candidate in the Democratic primaries–at least until next week. This announcement came just a few minutes ago via  a conference call with SEIU president Andy Stern and Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger.   How did SEIU get to this place? After hearing on Monday from candidates who […]

Read the full story

    This is a good day to check in on the lay of the land regarding where unions are going in the Democratic presidential primaries. Today, two important unions are hearing from the Democratic presidential candidates: The Service Employees International Union and the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).     For SEIU, here’s the […]

Read the full story