Did you know that in 1965, 95 percent of American clothing was made in USA? Times have changed since then. Just a few decades later, only 5 percent of the clothing worn by Americans is manufactured here in this country.

Don't miss tonight's HBO premier of Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags -- a documentary that tells the unexpected history behind New York's Garment District and a "must see" for anyone who cares about our union and the workers who built it. The documentary includes interviews with Joe Raico, a garment cutter and President of Workers United Local 10, Workers United President Bruce Raynor.

Additionally, the film examines both the path to the American Dream the garment industry offered to thousands of immigrant workers... and the social and economic forces chipping away at the job that once provided entry to the middle class. The documentary depicts the dangers of sweatshops and the fight that union workers led against unsafe conditions in garment factories.

Watch the trailer here:

Check out Workers' United Elana Levin's post on the film at Daily Kos here.

Labor Day is a time to reflect on the achievements of the American worker and our nation's commitment to helping all families pursue the American Dream--especially now that many are facing difficult times, as the result of the recession and the anti-worker agenda carried out by the previous administration. In a short period of time, President Obama and the 111th Congress have made progress to undo many policies that have harmed our nation's workers; showing time and time again that they stand on the side of working families.

Here are some of the strides made so far on behalf of American workers:

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act: The first major piece of legislation President Obama signed at the end of January ensures that women and other workers who receive discriminatory pay have access to a remedy. The new law reversed the May 2007 Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear and restored prior law which treated each discriminatory paycheck received by a worker as a violation of the Civil Rights Act.

Affordable Health Coverage for Laid-off Workers: A provision in the Recovery Act will assist 7 million people laid off in this recession with the cost of their health insurance coverage, who would otherwise face paying a substantial monthly amount to keep it. People who were laid off between from their jobs between 9/1/08 and 12/31/09 pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit.

Increasing the Minimum Wage: On July 24th, the national minimum wage increased by 70 cents per hour--from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour-the final of three increases to take effect under legislation enacted by the Democratic Congress. "[The] minimum wage increase is an important step in strengthening our economy by putting $1,400 a year in the pockets of 13 million hardworking Americans who make the Federal minimum wage," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger.

Increasing Wage Theft Enforcement: As a result increased funding in the Recovery Act, the Department of Labor announced that the agency plans on hiring 250 investigators for its Wage and Hour Division. A Government Accountability Office investigation found many investigations of wage theft, in which workers are not paid minimum wages or not paid at all, were inadequately handled by the Bush administration's Wage and Hour Division, which had been starved of staff and resources.

Worker Protection Programs: In December 2008, the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress released a report noting that "one of the hallmarks of President George W. Bush's administration has been its failure to enforce laws designed to protect ordinary Americans," particularly the Labor Department's "inadequate enforcement of important workplace protections." The Obama administration has pushed to clean up the mess, requesting a 10 percent budget increase for worker protection programs.

Stopping Last-Minute Bush Proposal to Weaken Worker Health & Safety Protections: The Department of Labor announced that they will withdraw a Bush era proposal that would have dramatically weakened future workplace health and safety regulations and slow their enactment. (Announced May 15, 2009)

Can you think of any Congressional accomplishments made on behalf of workers that I've left off this list? If so, please leave your feedback in the "Comments" section below.

President Obama's nominee to become the 111th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is a woman who has always earned her way to the top of the class. The life story of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is, quite literally, a remarkable retelling of the American Dream. Once confirmed, Judge Sotomayor will become the first Hispanic to serve on the high court, and just the third woman to sit on the nation's highest court.

SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger spoke on the start of Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor:

"Today, millions of Hispanic children and young girls of every race, religion and background will look at coverage of Judge Sotomayor's confirmation hearing in their newspaper, TV or computer screen and picture themselves in her chair. They will know they from this day forward that with hard work, dedication and never giving up on their American Dream, they too can one day serve on our nation's highest court.

"It is a dramatic reminder to the world that America is still the land of opportunity. Even if you are born to a Puerto Rican family as the daughter of a nurse and a factory worker and grow up in a public housing project in the South Bronx you can ascend to lead a distinguished legal career on the federal bench, and become Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

"There are few people with Judge Sotomayor's legal acumen and accumulated wisdom. But beyond her brilliance, her three-decade career in the law and her distinguished record, Judge Sotomayor's personal story of achievement has given her a rare insight into the lives of people who get up and go to work each day to make a better life for their families. She is an extraordinary choice for this moment and for the future challenges this country will see."

The Sotomayor hearings will continue throughout the week, and we encourage you to post your own analysis of the hearings, questions or feedback in the "Comments" section below.

Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the blogosphere have been buzzing over the past 48 hours, as thousands of grassroots activists and Congressional leaders contacted the Department of Homeland Security to stop the deportation of Walter Lara, a 23 year-old honor student facing deportation this Independence Day weekend. Today, Walter Lara was granted a one year stay of his deportation.

In response to DHS's deferment, Walter issued the following statement:

"Today, words cannot express my gratitude to Secretary Janet Napolitano, Senator Bill Nelson, Representatives Corrine Brown, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and the thousands of grassroots activists whose unified efforts have given me a second chance to live out my American Dream.

"As I look to celebrate Independence Day with family and friends this weekend, I have once again seen what makes America the best country in the world. Americans are fair, just, and kind. When we unite our strength to defend our shared values -opening rather than shutting the doors of opportunity - we can achieve anything. As I have said before, America is the only country I have known and I am an American. I have never been more proud to say that than I am today.

"But even as the dust settles on this tremendous personal victory, my sights are clearly set on the struggle ahead to build a long-term future for me and the more than 2 million like me whose lives may be cut short and dreams deferred.

"The action taken by the leaders in Congress and the Department of Homeland Security is an acknowledgment that our immigration laws are broken. The DREAM Act, if passed, would help people like myself, who came here through no fault of their own, stay in this country, be put on a path to citizenship and contribute to our nation."

More background on Walter and the campaign that spread that wildfire to keep him from being deported after the break.

Walter Lara is an honor student who has lived in the U.S. since his parents brought him here from Argentina when he was just 3 years old. Almost 20 years later, Walter is set to be deported this July 4th weekend.

On February 17, 2009, Walter was with his boss (a DirectTV contractor) about to get on a ferry that would take him to Fisher Island so they could work on some installations. In ten minutes, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities surrounded the vehicle and bombarded Walter with questions which he innocently responded to.

This is Walter's story --

UPDATE, 7/1/09 5:00 p.m.: Voice mail boxes at DHS are full, thanks to more than 500 calls that poured in to Sec. Napolitano today. The campaign will resume tomorrow DHS reopens at 9:00 a.m.

1. Join the Facebook page as an act of solidarity and to find out specifics of Walter's case.

2. Co-Sign senator Bill Nelson's letter to DHS: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/nelsonletterblog. The letter will be delivered to Homeland Security tomorrow -- so please sign it now.

3. Follow Walter on Twitter

Change to Win released the results of the seventh in its ongoing series of American Dream surveys yesterday, measuring views on how strong majorities of working Americans view the economy, the role of government, the American Dream, and the action agenda that is at the heart of the new progressive majority.

The good news I was immediately struck with upon reading these survey results is that most working Americans believe the American Dream is still realistic... nearly two-thirds of working people surveyed said they believe the American Dream is a 'somewhat' or 'very realistic goal' for their family.

However, great economic distress and anxiety is taking its toll -- 58 percent of respondents believe it likely that a member of their family or someone they know will lose their job over the next year; 52 percent believe it likely that a member of their family or someone they know will lose their health insurance over that same period. Working Americans also specifically blame corporate greed and its stranglehold on government for the decline of the American Dream and they want Congress--which they rate poorly--to take action on the American Dream Agenda.

Time for action: 62 percent of respondents agree with the statement, "The time to act on health care, energy, and education is now. When we don't take action these problems get worse and cost much more," with just 30 percent taking the opposite position that "[w]e should not spend billions on major reforms in areas like health care, energy, and education unless we first stabilize the economy and can keep spending low."

In order to win over the emerging progressive majority among America's workers, Congress must implement an effective action agendathat includes cracking down on corporations that outsource good jobs (83 percent), creating a more progressive tax system (81 percent), encouraging and enforcing fairness in the workplace (83 percent), and providing quality, affordable health care (80 percent). "This is the year we make our elected officials accountable for the promises they made when we voted for them," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Change to Win chair Anna Burger.

* You can download the complete survey (PDF) conducted by Lake Research Partners, or a memo summarizing its findings (PDF) for more details. Summary of results from Change to Win's sixth American Dream Survey (released in Nov. 2008) can be viewed here.

Tom Woodruff, the director of Change to Win's Strategic Organizing Center and an Executive VP at SEIU, has a piece in the Huffington Post that paints a picture of just how hard the economic crisis has hit workers in California's Inland Empire, where unemployment is above 12 percent:

The area's fractured employment model has turned a recession into a depression. There are now tens of thousands of laid off warehouse workers with no unemployment, no safety net at all, just barely getting by.

As conditions worsen in the Inland Empire, the big retail companies that created the broken business model have not accepted responsibility for the damage they have done...This is typical of an industry that has not acknowledged responsibility for any part of its supply chain, from the workers in the factories in China and Southeast Asia to the temp warehouse workers in the Inland Empire to the retail staff working for the minimum wage.

Even when the economy recovers, there will still be no hope of achieving the American Dream for the warehouse workers unless the system is changed. It is time for Wal-mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears/Kmart to take responsibility for the workers who helped them become so profitable and to treat them with dignity and respect

The Employee Free Choice Act would help improve these dismal conditions and ensure California's workers have the freedom to form unions to rebuild our middle class. After all, why shouldn't these workers be able to share in the increasing wealth and prosperity created by their work?

Read Woodruff's entire article here.

Flickr photo courtesy of Mr. Wright, under Creative Commons license

On the morning of March 6, 2007, Eleazar Torres-Gomez was killed when he tried to unjam an industrial conveyor belt at an Oklahoma plant of Cintas, an industrial laundry company.

He was dragged into an operating industrial dryer, and trapped inside it for twenty minutes. Alone on the Cintas factory floor, no one could hear Eleazar's screams as he was smothered and cooked to death inside the dryer, which reached temperatures of up to 300'F.

It didn't have to happen. You see, Eleazar did not have the free choice to join a union, so no one could negotiate with his employer, Cintas, for safety precautions that could have saved his life.

Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren opposes giving workers the free choice to join a union. He opposes giving fellow Oklahomans like Eleazar Torres-Gomez the ability to negotiate for safety precautions that save lives.

This is not acceptable. Watch this video about Rep. Dan Boren and safety and Cintas, and then tell Dan Boren to protect Oklahoma's working families.

Click here to watch the video and take action: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/boren

Here's the thing, though. Workers at Cintas' leading competitor, Aramark, have the proper safety equipment and precautions in place. Why? Because laundry workers at Aramark had the free choice to join a union, which fought for the very safety measures that could have saved Eleazar's life. Today Aramark has the proper precautions in place.

Under the Employee Free Choice Act, workers would have the free choice to join a union so they can negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

But corporate special interests are spending *millions* of dollars on lies, propaganda and twisting arms -- all in a desperate, greedy bid to keep hard-working Oklahomans like you from sharing in the American Dream.

And Rep. Dan Boren is more than happy to help those corporate interests.

Tell Dan Boren to give Oklahomans like the Torres-Gomez family the kind of representation they deserve. Ask him to support the Employee Free Choice Act.

http://action.seiu.org/boren

The stakes couldn't be higher. Giving us a fair chance to bargain for better pay, benefits and job security will help restore our struggling middle class and make our economy work for all of us.

It's time for Dan Boren to stand up for people like us.

An important step toward restoring balance and fairness to our economy was taken today--the Employee Free Choice Act was introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Now that the fight has moved to the halls of Congress, we need to take our campaign to the next level--and give more workers a shot at the American Dream.

Congress will debate and vote on this important bill soon. Your senators and representative need to hear from people back home immediately--they're already hearing from corporate interests.

SEIU President Andy Stern and SEIU member Regina Schwartz recorded a video message for you about the Employee Free Choice Act. Please click here to watch the video and ask your Members of Congress to actively support the Employee Free Choice Act.

The Employee Free Choice Act is essential to our economic recovery - more than $49 billion could be pumped into the economy every year from workers negotiating for better wages, benefits and working conditions. It's the kind of stimulus working people so desperately need.

With the most pro-working family Congress in years, and President Obama committed to the cause, this is our best chance yet to pass this bill. But it's not yet a done deal.

Corporate special interests are twisting arms, spending millions on misleading ads and spreading lies and propaganda to block the bill. We've got to put pressure on members of Congress who haven't signed on--and make sure those who support the bill stay strong.

There's not a moment to lose--watch our short video and email your Members of Congress right now!

The stakes couldn't be higher--giving more workers a fair chance to bargain for better pay, benefits and job security will help restore the struggling middle class and make the economy work for everyone.

Now that the bill has been introduced, it's time for your Members of Congress to hear directly from you.

"President Obama really wants to make sure the voice of people are heard in Washington and that as we develop economic policies, they work for people across our country: for workers, for business, for the economy as a whole," says SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger in a MarketWatch video interview on Friday.

In the interview, Burger speaks about the White House economic advisory board and the economic stimulus package. She also talks about the importance of job creation, healthcare reform and the Employee Free Choice to help get the country back on track. "I see this as an opportunity to take a transformational election and turn it into a transformational economic policy so that working families have a chance to achieve the American Dream," says Burger.

Watch the video here:

Anna Burger, chair of the Change to Win labor coalition and International Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), today was named to President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board in a ceremony at the White House with President Obama.

She made the following statement:

As daily headlines scream, 'layoffs, layoffs, layoffs,' I am honored to stand today in a new partnership with a president who was elected because he does not turn a deaf ear to the hurts and hopes of working people. He is a president who sees members of labor unions as part of the solution too.

Today President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden announced the creation of the Middle Class Task Force, which the White House blog says is "targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America." SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Change to Win Chair Anna Burger was in attendance at the event today, and issued this statement in support (read the whole thing here):

The mandate of the Middle Class Working Families Task Force sends a clear signal of a new government. A government that makes sure working Americans are treated with the dignity and respect at the work place that everyone deserves. A government that understands that rebuilding the American Dream and fixing the economy means creating more than just jobs, it means creating good jobs with a wage that can support a family, benefits that can keep them healthy, and a secure and dignified retirement.

The Obama administration has shown a strong commitment to the needs of working people, and reaffirmed that today. We need to restore the American Dream, and the White House is asking you to submit your own ideas to the Task Force. You can do so by visiting their new website, which has a front banner that declares, "A Strong Middle Class = A Strong America." We couldn't agree more.

There are a total of three additional pro-worker executive orders (on top of the Task Force creation) that Obama will sign, overturning Bush-era policies:

• Require federal contractors (holding contracts above $100,000) to post a balanced notice of their employees' rights under the National Labor Relations Act;
• Require federal service contractors providing services to federal buildings to offer a right of first refusal to the nonsupervisory, nonmanagerial employees of the predecessor contractor for positions for which they were qualified; and
• Prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for expenditures intended to support or deter their employees' exercise of their right to form unions and engage in collective bargaining.

For more information, read Biden's Op-Ed in USA Today.

"There'd be no middle class without labor movement:" Watch Biden talk about the new task force in live coverage from the announcement earlier today:

Statement by SEIU President Andy Stern on Inauguration of President Barack Obama

Washington, D.C.--Less than 24 hours before President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern issued the following statement:

"Words seem inadequate when I try to capture what the inauguration of Barack Obama means to working people. How can you describe what it feels like to a janitor or healthcare or childcare worker who has felt so powerless for so long to now feel so powerful.

"Jean Berg is a single mother in Ft. Myers, Florida. She works in a nursing home but has no health coverage. She hasn't been to a doctor in seven years. She's never voted in political elections, but this fall Jean put in 12-hour days talking to voters six days a week to help elect Barack Obama.

"The significance of this inauguration is the pride in Jean's heart, the tears in all our eyes, after so many years of feeling 'no we can't' to knowing now that yes, workers can.

"This inauguration day is for Jean and the millions of working men and women who have finally found hope, who once again believe in change and are finally ready for action in Washington.

"With Barack Obama as our nation's leader, we will build an America where the dreams and hopes we have for our families can come true."

Statement by SEIU EVP Eliseo Medina Supporting Hilda Solis's Confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor

WASHINGTON, DC--SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina issued the following statement in support of Representative Hilda Solis's confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor:

"At this critical juncture in our great nation, I cannot think of anyone more qualified than Representative Hilda Solis to re-establish the U.S. Labor Department's priorities of justice, fairness, and equal opportunity for all workers.

"A daughter of labor leaders, Rep. Solis knows first-hand the economic struggles facing Americans today, and she has become an outspoken advocate for the millions of Americans who, despite getting up and working hard every day, are too often forced to choose between the impossible--covering rent or taking their sick child to the doctor, taking on another job or losing their home.

"I have long admired Hilda's passion, perseverance, and unyielding strength. Years ago in California, I watched as she took on the employers of large supermarket chains who were denying fair pay and illegally exploiting thousands of hard-working janitors. Years later, during the LA janitors strike, Rep Solis used her talents as a consensus-builder to bring employers and janitors together, unite their diverse interests, and help secure fair wages and affordable healthcare for thousands of janitors.

"Rep. Solis has also become a champion for the rights of immigrant workers. As a daughter of immigrants, Rep. Solis exemplifies the American Dream and the tremendous contributions that immigrants have made and will continue to make to our country. Rep. Solis knows that fixing our broken immigration system and restoring the rule of law is the only way to guarantee civil rights and basic fairness for all workers--no matter where they come from.

"Today, as she stands at the threshold of history, ready to serve her country as the first Latina Secretary of Labor, we are reminded that Solis' story is truly the American story. Her values--hard work, commitment to economic fairness, and willingness to fight for justice--are America's values.

"In support of America's workforce, we urge Congress to move swiftly so that Rep. Solis can begin her work to improve lives and open doors for millions of workers in America."

WASHINGTON, DC - SEIU President Andy Stern issued the following statement supporting the confirmation of Representative Hilda Solis as U.S. Secretary of Labor.

"As the daughter of two immigrant workers and proud union members, Hilda Solis is the embodiment of the American Dream. She will never back down from putting the American Dream back within the reach of America's workers.

"Solis is one of seven children, helped to raise her youngest siblings and was the first in her family to go to college. She's been a leading voice on environmental and labor issues in the Congress, and she will continue that commitment as Labor Secretary if she is confirmed. She understands the challenges workers face in a global economy and the need for a bold new agenda that expands healthcare for everyone and gives American workers a greater choice and a greater voice. She will lead a Labor Department that works to open doors for every American in our nation's diverse workforce.

"Hilda Solis is more than qualified and will serve with distinction as she helps to strengthen America's greatest asset, its labor force. SEIU's two million members, including nurses, home care workers, bus drivers, child care providers and property services professionals join me in asking the Senate to move quickly and confirm her. Her confirmation will give working families confidence that we can rebuild our country so hard work is rewarded with fair pay, strong benefits and a secure retirement."

WASHINGTON, DC - SEIU President Andy Stern issued the following statement following President-elect Obama's speech on the economy at George Mason University:

"People keep trying to draw comparisons, but the truth is that this moment is like no other in history.

"For many, times have never been so tough. A failing economy and a broken healthcare system have put the squeeze on millions of families. Yet, people remain hopeful - excited about what could be.

"Yesterday, SEIU announced a huge 35-state effort to help Main Street by ensuring Change that Works through passage of an economic recovery package, passing comprehensive health care reform and ensuring workers have freedom to choose a voice at work. Our two million members agree with the urgency reinforced this morning by President-elect Obama that Congress must act now to address this crisis and relieve the pain for working families before a bad situation becomes dramatically worse.

"This is about saving jobs in cash-strapped states where the crucial services our families are counting on are being cut, such as Massachusetts, where one-quarter of caseworkers who help the mentally ill are being laid off. This is about getting people back to work by creating millions of new jobs where workers' voices are respected and where they earn wages and benefits that support a family. This is about investing in a stronger future by fixing our health care system so that keeping our families healthy poses no threat to our economic security and prosperity.

"If Congress needed just three weeks to pass a Wall Street bailout, then we should be able to count on our leaders to pass Main Street relief with as much urgency. Now is the time to make that change that works by getting our economy back on track and building a country where the dreams we have for our families and our children can come true."

On Politico's The Arena, SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger helps drive the conversation by giving us her boldest political predictions for 2009:

I predict that 2009 will be the "Year of the Middle Class." Voters have spoken powerfully for change and now expect action that both revives our failing economy and builds it stronger, and fairer, for the future. By rebuilding the American Dream for millions of families and rewarding work instead of one's wealth, greed or market manipulation, we can strengthen our economy for generations to come. [...] SEIU's members will help make 2009 the "Year of the Middle Class" by involving millions of Americans in an intensive state-by-state campaign to create an economy where hard work means you can make a good living and fulfill your dreams instead of treading water or falling behind.

Read the rest of Anna's reflections on the new year on Politico here.

The announcement of Representative Hilda Solis as President-elect Obama's Secretary of Labor is great news for America's workers. Solis comes from a union family and has never forgotten her roots in her public service career. Her appointment is a win for the prospects of the Employee Free Choice Act and the economic future for the people of this country who get up and go to work every day.

As you can see from the video above, Rep. Solis was a strong advocate for the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act in the House in 2007. But she didn't stop her advocacy when she left the floor of Congress on March 1, 2007. The next day she penned a blog post for Huffington Post explaining why the Employee Free Choice Act is so important for our economy.

Unions are vital to the health and strength of our communities, and our workers are the bedrock of our economy. Unionized workers earn 30 percent more than non-unionized workers, and 80 percent have health insurance, as opposed to just 49 percent of non-union workers. In this day and age when the number of women and new immigrants in the work force is increasing, it is important that they become a part of the American fabric. One of the ways to ensure that these new workers are skilled and valued members of the work force is to join a union.

When union workers earn higher wages to support their families, that income helps to strengthen their community. It helps to provide a vibrant economy. It helps to send their children, like me, a daughter of immigrants and a union household, to college and to eventually run for office. This is the American Dream. We should realize that dream by supporting workers and signing the Employee Free Choice Act into law, and I will continue to champion increased wages, right and protections for working families in the 110th Congress.

While working hard for American families in-session, Rep. Solis has made her progressive views on labor and workers' rights a centerpiece of her campaigns to represent California's 32nd District. Her campaign website included a detailed agenda for how Rep. Solis has fought and will continue to fight for America's workers. Here's just a brief look at how Hilda Solis is defending rights at work:

Hilda staunchly supports strong protections for all employees in their places of work. In Congress, she tirelessly defends the 40-hour work week and overtime pay requirements against the constant attacks by the corporate wing of the Republican Party. She was proud to vote with her Democratic colleagues in the House to pass a federal minimum wage increase for working families in the first 100 hours of the new Democratic majority.

One's place of employment must be a safe and healthy place to work. Hilda supports legislation that strengthens existing standards for working conditions and advocates for additional funding for the U.S. Department of Labor to combat poor working environments.

Union members from SEIU and the Change to Win federation -- which includes six additional unions -- gathered at a press conference Friday to tell their stories of hope and optimism to promote a new era for positive government and a progressive agenda for worker-driven economic growth. New survey results were also unveiled as part of Change to Win's ongoing American Dream Project, focusing on how workers' perception of the American Dream influenced their vote in the just-concluded election.

A few key survey findings:

• Almost 7 in 10 working Americans (68%) felt more enthusiastic for voting in this election compared to elections past, fully 19 points higher from the fifth American Dream survey in September 2008.

• For working Americans, the single most important issue in deciding their vote for President was the economy and jobs (72%), followed by health care and prescription drugs (26%), and the war in Iraq (23%).

• Barack Obama won the vote from working Americans decisively, winning 51 percent to John McCain's 39 percent, with 10 percent either not sure or voting for a third party candidate. For working under Americans under the age of 30, Obama's victory was even more convincing--58 percent to John McCain's 34 percent, with nine percent either unsure or voting for a third party candidate.

• Despite the economic crisis and other problems facing our nation, American workers believe the American Dream is still obtainable. Only 19 percent believe they may not or will not be able to obtain the American Dream while a solid majority (73%) either have obtained it (15%) or believe that it is still obtainable (58%).

• Working Americans feel most strongly that the best steps the President and Congress can take to make the American Dream more attainable are making sure employers keep their promises to employees with regard to pensions and health care (87%),  followed by enacting health care reform (81%), cracking down on oil speculators and price gouging at the pump (79%), and ensuring equal opportunity and equal pay for women and minorities (79%).
  

"Young workers envision a new American Dream based on respect for their work, living wages, a health care system focused on healthy lives rather than corporate profits, and a green and energy independent economy," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Change to Win chair Anna Burger. "We won the election, now we will change the country."  

Click here for more on The American Dream and the 2008 Election survey.