Biden: Strong Unions Needed to Build Middle Class

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/11/05/biden-strong-unions-needed-to-build-middle-class/

by James Parks, Nov 5, 2009

The nation cannot rebuild its middle class without strong unions, Vice President Joe Biden said today. Biden said he and President Obama believe it is impossible to grow the middle class without growing unions.

Biden, who chairs the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families, met with a panel of scholars assembled by the Center for American Progress (CAP) and Economic Policy Institute (EPI) to discuss the challenges facing America’s middle class in the 21st century economy.

At the live webcast event, EPI President Lawrence Mishel said unions set standards in the workplace. Decent standards help ensure “employers are not competing to see who can make the jobs worst, but who can make the products better,” Mishel said.

Heather Boushey, CAP’s senior economist, said unions are important for workers so they can approach employers about sharing the benefits of productivity and about the ways to have more workplace flexibility.

And it can’t just be about one worker. These are challenges for everyone. I don’t think we can overestimate the important role of unions in building a middle class and what they can do if we help them grow again.

FULL story at link.

[Sinti]

1. Thanks - it's good to see such things said

At the same time, I think they're going to have to address the monopolies, but having a strong union in place first would probably be the best course.

[theoldman]

2. Unions are what made the middle class in America.

Look at the countries that don't have a middle class. Unions are not perfect but workers must have some kind of organization.

[saracat]

3. Good for Biden. Perhaps hecan persuade Obama to be more supportive of the Teachers Union then?

[gateley]

4. K&R - nt.

[izquierdista]

5. There is one strong union left

The dockworkers union in charge of unloading Chinese container ships. Other unions, feh, they don't have as many members cause there's not much work left for them to do.

[pleah]

6. K&R