Obama to seek AFL-CIO, labor backing in meetings

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080617/ap_on_el_pr/obama_unions

Democrat Barack Obama is moving quickly this week in hopes of uniting the labor movement behind his candidacy.

The presumed presidential nominee is scheduled to meet with AFL-CIO leaders on Wednesday, followed by a meeting with leaders of the AFL-CIO and other unions on Thursday at a closed-door economic forum.

The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization, has yet to endorse Obama, although its eventual support is all but certain. The AFL-CIO already has started its campaign against Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and its biggest rival, the Change to Win labor organization, has endorsed the Democratic senator from Illinois.

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A decision on an Obama endorsement will come from the AFL-CIO's general board, which is expected to meet soon, spokesman Steve Smith said. "You've seen a number of unions supporting Senator Obama in recent days, in recent weeks," Smith said. "It seems like the labor movement is getting on the same page."