General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: My brother in Ohio has had it with the Democrats [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Unions are what made and make the middle class possible. Unions fought for a minimum wage, higher wages, a 40 hour week and other workers' rights of all kinds.
As unions have declined, so has the American middle class.
That is why, if Obama is to claim to be on the side of the middle class, he needs to back unions.
Wisconsin started the whole drive against ending unions rights for public employees.
Ohio's Republicans (and others) followed suit and were defeated in a referendum fought hard by union members and other Democrats.
So that is why Wisconsin is relevant. It started the backlash against the conservative anti-union movement. And Obama really needs to get behind protecting unions -- much more actively behind protecting the right to organize not just by workers in private industry but also by workers in public employment.