Progress Illinois

While there are many struggles ahead, the past year has been a good one for organized labor. Despite an increasingly hostile organizing environment, the rate of union membership rose -- albeit marginally -- from 2006 to 2007, the first such bump in almost 30 years. That means that more workers will have access to higher pay, retirement accounts, medical insurance, and paid leave -- reason enough to celebrate this holiday weekend.

But the movement isn't resting until a we have both a labor-friendly White House and Congress in Washington. Despite some dissention about tactics, the American Prospect's Harold Meyerson explains that unions nationwide are throwing their lot behind Barack Obama in a big way:

The practical effect of the Alliance's semi-defection is too early to gauge. Overall, labor's program for the fall is massive and strategically very smart: Micro-targeting three million labor households in battleground states with a combined worksite, door-to-door, phone, mail, and e-mail campaign on which unions, in and out of the AFL-CIO, will spend a total of between $300 million and $400 million.

The organization Working America is pounding the sidewalks too. With 2.5 million members, the AFL-CIO's "community affiliate" -- which mails workers election-related materials, talks to them on the phone, and sends canvassers to their doorstep -- is storming working class neighborhoods across the country this election cycle. David Moberg has the details:

Working America is one of the brightest new developments for a beleaguered labor movement--giving a boost to political work this fall at a time when traditional union membership has been declining in the long run (despite an uptick last year). After Labor Day, canvassers for the group will try to contact every Working America member at the door with a field-tested, two-pronged message on behalf of Barack Obama. They'll contrast the positions of Obama and John McCain on critical issues, especially healthcare, but they'll also talk personally about why they're working on behalf of Obama. "We will give people information they're not getting," says Karen Nussbaum, the group's executive director,"but we also will communicate the way people personally make their decisions."

It's no surprise why organized labor is jumping behind the Democratic nominee this election. While you can't find one mention of unions on John McCain's website, Obama wants to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and raise the minimum wage. He's also in favor of banning the permanent replacement of striking workers, appointing labor friendly board members to the National Labor Relations Board, and passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The senator will speak to these issues after walking in Detroit's Labor Day parade this morning. He also released a video statement commemorating the holiday that can be seen here.

For Progress Illinois' past coverage of labor issues, check out the archives here.  For more union-related posts this Labor Day, head over to Today's Workplace.