Union Ramps Up Massive Campaign to Keep Obama's Feet to the Fire

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted January 9, 2009.

A number of polls show that they want Washington to address the health care crisis as well. And the link between health care reform and the economic recovery is becoming increasingly clear. For example, a Harvard University study found that health crises contribute to half of all home foreclosures and may put as many as 1.5 million Americans at risk of losing their homes each year.

SEIU officials also point to an analysis released in November by the New America Foundation predicting that rising health care premiums will continue to outpace wage gains, which will result in a situation in which "Americans will continue to pay more for less-generous health coverage, and fewer employers will offer health insurance to their workers." The union also points to a Health Affairs study which found that, absent changes to the health care system, the number of uninsured Americans will rise to 56 million -- about 1 in 6 -- by 2013.

But the cornerstone of labor's agenda is the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would smooth the way for workers to join a union if they desire to do so. Studies show that during an average unionization drive, 25 percent of employers fire workers, and more than 9 in 10 employees are required to attend one-on-one meetings with supervisors in which they're told that the sky will fall if they vote to unionize.

There's a substantial body of research that shows a clear correlation between falling unionization rates, stagnating wages and increases in inequality and poverty. That's true in all countries; data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development -- the "rich countries' club" -- shows that "countries with high levels of union density or collective bargaining coverage are much more equal than countries with low union density, but perform no worse in terms of creating jobs."

Of course, all of these progressive reforms will face stiff opposition from the corporate Right. To counter that, SEIU has opened up a rapid response "war room," will partner with other organizations to fund a major ad campaign and promises to commit 1,000 full-time staff members in dozens of states across the country to organize the effort to keep elected officials' feet to the fire.

"SEIU members have created one of the largest and most effective political programs in the country," Stern said this week.

We'll soon see if that organization can flex enough muscle to overcome corporate America's inevitable push-back.

See more stories tagged with: labor, obama, healthcare, unions, seiu, efca, stimulus package, change that works

Joshua Holland is an AlterNet staff writer.

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