According to a new study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, women will be the majority of unionized workers by 2020.

How's an abundance of estrogen changing things? "Because of women, we don't just talk about raising wages, but about creating family friendly workplaces with sick leave, child care, and family and medical leave," said Change to Win Chair and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger. "We don't just talk about out-of-control insurance costs, but about the fact that women pay more than men strictly because of their gender."

Some of the report's other findings:

Education:

• Nearly 40 percent percent of all union workers have college degrees. Almost half (49.4 percent) of union women had at least a four-year college degree.
  
• More educated workers were more likely to be unionized than less-educated workers, a reversal from 25 years ago.

Public Sector & Growth

• Just under half of all union members come from the public sector, up from just over one-third in 1983.
  
• Union ranks have increased slightly over the past two years, and members now represent 12.4 percent of the nation's work force.

Diversity:

• Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the labor movement.
  
• About one-in-eight (12.6 percent) of union workers is an immigrant, up from one-in-twelve in 1994
  
• In 1983, the majority (51.7 percent) of all union workers was white men; by 2008, white men were only 38.1 percent of the unionized workforce.
  
• The typical union worker was 45 years old, or about 7 years older than in 1983. The most heavily unionized age group was in the age range of 55-64.

"The view that the typical union worker is a white male manufacturing worker may have been correct a quarter of a century ago, but it's not an accurate description of those in today's labor movement," said John Schmitt, a CEPR Senior Economist and an author of the report. Read the study.

Many consumers assume that if a car is "American-made," it must have been built by union-represented workers. Not true. The UAW has prepared a guide to provide information for consumers who want to purchase vehicles produced by workers who enjoy the benefits and protections of a union contract. The 2010 list includes cars, trucks, pickups, vans, SUVs and crossovers from U.S., European and Asian-based carmakers. Check out the 2010 car buying guide here.

Buying Union-made: It's still difficult to find sweatshop-free and fairly traded merchandise in the U.S., but there are viable options if you care about fair trade products. For example, Union Made in USA merchandise is widely considered the platinum standard for consumers in the U.S. And while shopping can feel more like a forbidden past time or guilty pleasure in this economy, buying the Union label is something you can feel good about. Because you're not just getting a high-quality product--you're also supporting local economies, helping maintain middle class manufacturing jobs, and propping up responsible companies that employ workers at fair wages.

The union label is a badge of quality, workplace justice, and living wage--check out a selection of tees over at Ethix Merch here. Additionally, the SweatFree Communities and International Labor Rights Forum has a great 2009 Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide on their website to key resource to help you become a socially conscious shopper.

The guide profiles clothing companies whose products are created in a "sweat-free" environment and clothing made in shops where workers are organized into unions (or worker-owned cooperatives) and have a voice on the job in determining their wages and working conditions (like Justice Clothing and No Sweat Apparel). My personal favorite from the guide is Autonomie Project, a store that offers some really creative, stylish t-shirts and accessories that are eco-friendly along with being sweatshop-free. Their new line of babies/children's apparel--especially the logo tees, like the one to the right--really stand out from the crowd.

For a guide to both union Made and fair Trade products, don't forget to visit the 2009 Shop With a Conscience Consumer Guide here. UAW's car-buying guide can be found here.

Puerto Rican union leaders instituted a 'Camp of Dignity and Shame' today in front of La Fortalez, the official estate of the Governor of Puerto Rico. "This is Camp Dignity and we will not move from here," said Robert Pagán, president of SEIU Local 1996SPT , who is one of four union leaders who chained themselves to the gates of Governor Luis Fortuño's home in an act of civil disobedience to stand up against the announcement from the government dismissing thousands of public sector employees.

The lay-off announcement came this past Friday from the chairman of the Reorganization and Fiscal Stabilization Board, Carlos García, a decision which he himself said will raise Puerto Rico's unemployment rate to 17 percent and further increase the economic crisis. A total of 16,970 public employees will be laid off, with the Education Department hit the hardest with over 7,000 layoffs. SEIU Local 1996SPT represents most (over 6,000 workers) who are part of laid-off Education workers.

With this symbolic gesture, the union members of SPT & UGT are making a (peaceful) but powerful appeal to the public to show their support for the workers by gathering with them in front of La Fortaleza. They are also demanding that Gov. Fortuño engage them in dialogue from where they have determinedly gathered outside his home, which is also in front of the Governors' office. There will be no substitutes for the people who are chained to the Governor's gates--not even to go to the bathroom. "Es el momento de lucha en la calle, de transformar la indignación que todo el pueblo está sintiendo en acción," said Pagán. ["It's time to fight in the street, to transform the indignation that all people are feeling inaction."]

The peaceful act of civil disobedience and upcoming October 15th general strike is supported by virtually all of organized labor in Puerto Rico including SPT and UGT, as well as a broad coalition of religious and civic groups. "Esta es sólo una primera actividad de decenas de desobediencia civil que irán dirigidas al gobernador Fortuño, a los legisladores y al sector económico que apoya al Gobernador en esta política malsana", said SPT president Robert Pagán. ["This is only a first of tens of civil disobedience actions that will target governor Fortuño, legislators and the industry sector that supports the Governor in this unhealthy policy."]

More updates on this demonstration to come shortly--stay tuned.

Over the last week and a half, SEIU Locals in California, New York and Oregon have reached new or tentative contract agreements that will benefit nearly 13,000 workers. Contract highlights include lessening the impact of budget cuts on workers' jobs and pocketbooks, and wage and benefit increases.

CALIFORNIA
Largest Vote in SEIU Riverside History leads to Contract Agreement
Roughly 6,000 public service workers of SEIU Local 721 reached a contract agreement with Riverside County on September 1, ending a five-month-long negotiation process. Union members overwhelmingly voted 93 percent to approve a one-year ratified agreement, making this the largest ratification vote in SEIU's history in Riverside County. With the new contract, members gain overtime rights, limited furloughs and a fairness agreement among all county employees. More details here.

Calexico City Employees Win Huge Victory
California City Employees who are members of SEIU Local 221 won a huge victory this week, pushing back on budget cuts proposed by the Calexico City Council that would have made drastic cuts to pay and benefits, along with implementing 18 furlough days. The City Council listened as members found other cost-saving measures the council could use to fill their budget gap instead of making up the difference on the backs of workers. This victory was a real demonstration that when members stand up for themselves, positive change can happen. Read more.

2,600 Workers at Stanford University ratify new contracts w/ wage, benefit increases
Members of SEIU Local 2007 ratified a new five-year contract on September 3 that includes a 12.5 percent wage increase, preserves jobs and increases training by implementing an apprenticeship program with the trades. According to BNA Daily Labor Report, the jointly-developed apprenticeship program--$120,000 of which Stanford will fund--will allow workers to move up the career leader in their fields (such as electricians) as well as provide the kind of training which would give them the opportunity to move to a different career.

1,450 SEIU-UHW hospital workers at the Palo Alto facilities, Stanford Hospital and Lucille Packard Children's Hospital voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new two-year contract on August 28 that offers 4 percent wage increases and ratification bonuses. Stanford employees had been working for several years without a contract, and bargaining had been stalled by management. More details on the victory at SEIU-UHW's website here.

NEW YORK
Workers at Presbyterian Senior Care Centers Overwhelmingly Ratify New Labor Agreement
Approximately 270 1199SEIU workers employed by Presbyterian Senior Care at its two facilities, Harbour Multicare Center and Hawthorn Multicare Center, overwhelming voted in favor of a new labor agreement on August 31. Highlights of the new contract include pension improvements; annual wage increases, and improved holiday pay for part-time employees. More here.

OREGON
OR University System Members Reach Tentative Agreement on Two-Year Contract
"You stood up, hung tough, held out and adhered to principle," said an special email from the SEIU Local 503 bargaining team after reaching a settlement on a two-year contract late Friday night, giving 4,000 members in the Oregon University System a special reason to celebrate Labor Day. Contract highlights include fully-paid health care premiums for full-time employees and withdrawn proposals for unlimited furloughs and an across-the-board pay cut. The agreement includes essentially matches the deal struck six weeks ago on behalf of state workers and assures that the workers, their clients and the services they provide will not take an excessive hit as lawmakers work to close a multi-billion budget gap.

Another highlight: The 14 part-time recyclers at Portland State University, who became Oregon's first unionized undergrads when they voted unanimously to join SEIU, are covered by the contract. Read more about the agreement here.

Please feel free to offer congratulations to these workers and the bargaining teams that worked so hard on their behalf in the comments section below.

With Labor Day just around the corner and only six days left of Congressional recess, Locals across the country are gearing up for a busy weekend. But, amidst the upcoming celebrations, SEIU members are still working hard for health care reform.

OHIO: SEIU nurse Barb Montgomery joined the Organizing for America Health Insurance Reform Now bus tour during its stop in Columbus, OH on Monday, where over 2,000 activists rallied and paid tribute to Senator Kennedy's legacy on health care reform. At the event, Montgomery shared both her own story and that of family members and friends, further illustrating why Americans need health insurance reform.

RHODE ISLAND: Rep. Jim Langevin joined doctors, nurses and health care workers at Rhode Island's Women and Infants Hospital (the only maternity hospital in the state!) as they signed scrubs with their message to Congress: we need health insurance for all Americans. The event was covered on a variety of blogs, including a great post on Rhode Island's Future.

MAINE: At an an event organized by SEIU Maine Change that Works, AFSCME, the Maine People's Alliance and Organizing for America, a passionate group of healthcare activists delivered more than 35,000 letters, postcards, emails, and online petitions from all over the state to urge Senator Olympia Snowe to stand up for quality, affordable healthcare for every man, woman and child. Senator Snowe was not the only one who heard our message--the front page of the Bangor Daily News the next day featured a front page story with pictures of our activists and the headline "Health care reform fans blitz Snowe with 35,000 messages." Read more.

FLORIDA: More than 1,200 people from across Florida gathered on Saturday to help jump-start the reform debate. "There's a Washington debate, but now people in Orlando can get involved," said SEIU Healthcare Florida president Monica Russo. Community members, people of faith, retirees, union members and healthcare workers arrived in buses and cars from Tallahassee, Tampa Bay, Miami, Broward County, Jacksonville and Palm Beach to pack a gym in downtown Orlando sending a message to Congress: healthcare reform can't wait! Central Florida's 7th, 8th, 24th congressional districts together have 403,000 people without health insurance. Watch video.

CALIFORNIA: In Los Angeles, SEIU United Long-Term Care Workers (ULTCW) has scheduled a free screening of Michael Moore's movie Sicko, followed by a panel discussion with health care professionals and special guests. After the event, attendees will also be able to engage in a variety of actions, like calling elected officials and taping their own personal health care story, in support of health care reform. More details here.

On a related note....don't forget to vote for your favorite video of Congress members at town hall meetings debunking the lies and refocusing discussions about healthcare reform. Vote here.

A U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of California last night granted SEIU-UHW members a preliminary injunction against the local union's former officers (including former president Sal Rosselli) and agents, finding that they "filched" and "sabotaged" files, records, and union property as part of their plan to form a new union.

"Upon leaving UHW, the individual defendants took and reproduced UHW property for use at NUHW and destroyed other UHW property in an effort to hamstring their soon-to-be competitor," wrote U.S. District Judge William Alsup.

« Read more
« View the injunction

Al Franken, like many ex-performers, knows when to arrive at stage right at the critical moment of a new play. Six months into the new Obama administration as we now get ready to pass for the first time in 223 years, a healthcare bill and in the coming months, the Employee Free Choice Act, Sen. Al Franken's presence and strong leadership in the Senate couldn't have come at a better time.

"He may have been a little slow in getting here, but we'll excuse him because he has a lot of catching up to do," joked Andy Stern, congratulating the newly-seated U.S. Senator of Minnesota on his victory last week at a rooftop reception held at SEIU's headquarters in the Senator's honor to welcome him to Washington, DC. Also on hand to welcome Sen. Franken to Washington, DC were fellow Senator Amy Klobuchar and SEIU members, staff, and leaders.

Upon his arrival to the reception, Sen. Franken had some warm words of praise for SEIU and the efforts the union made on his behalf during his campaign:

"What an amazing asset to America Andy Stern--and the SEIU--is. Andy has been right at the front of the healthcare debate for years, and [addressing Andy] I want to thank you for that work. I also want to thank Anna Burger and the members and leaders of SEIU..."

Being the strong supporter of workers' freedom to form unions and bargain that he is, Franken--who is a member of four unions!--also expressed gratitude for the opportunities and security being a union member has provided him, wife Franni and his family:

[...] I'm a member of four unions. If it weren't for unions, Franni and I wouldn't have [had] healthcare for the last three years.

The Senator for Minnesota also discussed his plans for the working people of this country, now that he's finally been seated [Franken's first legislative act as Senator was to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act].

Now that I'm in the Senate, I guess I get their healthcare....and that's the healthcare that every American should get.

We're going to do that. I'm on the HELP committee, and we're going to do that. It's the first thing we're going to do. And we're going to do just a lot of great stuff...we're going to pass EFCA. We're going to make sure people have a level playing field to organize. We're going to create jobs in this country, and renewable energy...We need to do all these things--and I know we can. There are so many great possibilities ahead of this country. Our best days are yet to come. And I'm just so proud to be a member of the Senate.

Every single person who supported Franken by going out and voting for him made a big difference in the outcome of Minnesota's extremely close election, which, as Sen. Franken pointed out, he only "won by 312 votes...It was a really close election!"

"Through this union, ordinary people get to do extraordinary things--like elect Al Franken," said SEIU President Andy Stern.

SEIU 32BJ member Ana Fernandez was one of the nine confirmed dead after the tragic Metro crash in Washington this week. To help make ends meet for her family of six children, Ana was on her way to her second job as a janitor at a building downtown when the crash happened.

Please watch this Washington Post tribute to Ana:

Details will follow on a Memorial Fund to support Ana's husband and six children.

Also among the nine those who lost their lives in this tragedy was train operator and ATU Local 689 member Jeanice McMillan and CWA member Mary Doolittle. Our thoughts are with all of the families affected by this terrible crash.

Led in part by SEIU Local 1996 in Puerto Rico, close to 100,000 union members, students, and other activists marched in front of the capitol building in San Juan last week to protest Governor Luis Fortuño's plan to lay off more than 30,000 government employees and suspend public sector collective bargaining rights. Puerto Rico is currently in its fourth year of recession and has an unemployment rate of more than 15 percent. Governor Fortuño has since agreed to meet with representatives from the laid-off workers.

If you think agree that workers should not be made to pay the price for a crisis they did not create, send a letter to the Governor of Puerto Rico in strong protest of these anti-union and anti-public sector measures. Layoffs of public sector employees are set to begin on July 1, so please take action now: Click here to send a letter telling Governor Fortuño not to cut public sector services and jobs.

They came from across Fresno County, California, the U.S., and Canada with one mission: to protect Fresno County home care.

More than 900 SEIU members and activists gathered on Sunday, May 31st at the Fresno County Fairgrounds to kick off a massive "Get Out the Vote" effort to help home care workers protect their jobs, pay, and union. Rally participants pledged to help keep hope alive for 10,000 SEIU UHW Fresno County home care members, as they fight proposed wage-and-benefit cuts of $1 per hour beginning July 1 and vote in an election to determine their union representation on June 15.

One particularly remarkable Fresno county home care consumer and union activist appeared at yesterday's kick-off: ninety year-old Jessie Lopez De La Cruz, who was UFW's very first female organizer, hired by the notable Cesar Chavez himself in 1964. It was due to the tenacity of supporters like Lopez de la Cruz that the farm workers' cause and crusade for social justice received national attention and helped influenced labor laws.

Ms. Lopez De La Cruz had a special message when introducing SEIU Executive VP (and SEIU UHW trustee) Eliseo Medina at yesterday's event, as both worked alongside Cesar Chavez with the UFW: "The last time I was in these fairgrounds was 1973, when Cesar Chavez and hundreds and hundreds of farm workers were arrested in protests, and they put us in jail. I know the important work you do, and I support SEIU UHW!" Ms. Lopez De La Cruz urged everyone to stand strong for the SEIU UHW members who provide her care.

Cutting Home Care Workers' Wages: the Many Aftershocks
Of the roughly two million home care workers nationwide, more than 20 percent earn incomes below the poverty level. The 10,000 or so workers who provide in-home care for the elderly and those with disabilities in Fresno County might soon increase this overall number, as they end up below the poverty line in the aftermath of Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposed July 1 wage cuts. At any rate, slashing the state's already-low direct care wages at any level will likely force thousands of home care providers to leave their jobs in and cause workers to be more reliant on the state's support services.

"The economy is already devastating California's families, so this isn't a time to be cutting necessary support systems or reducing those already-small wages," said Bernadette Lynch, president of California Association of Public Authorities for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and executive director for Sacramento County IHSS Public Authority. "The current pay for home care workers doesn't even amount to a living wage at this point, except in one or two counties. Reducing it will end up causing a dearth of providers, which will hurt consumers. It's devastating." Taking money away from California's program to make up for budgetary shortfalls will also result in more people having to resort to institutional care (nursing homes or other residental institutions)-- which is estimated to be four times more expensive to the State.

SEIU Files a Class-Action Lawsuit
Last week, SEIU filed a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, seeking a preliminary junction to stop the State of California and Fresno County from slashing the wages of home care workers to near-poverty levels and from to reducing the hours of care seniors and people with disabilities receive from going into effect. The suit, brought on behalf of individual consumers and SEIU, charges that the planned cuts put seniors and people with disabilities at risk and violate the American with Disabilities Act and Federal Medicaid Law.

Between now and July 1st - the date the home care cuts are supposed to take effect - home care workers, their families and supporters have much to fight for. Stop the home care cuts in California.

Last week, hundreds of workers gathered together on a blustery day to tell us why we need the Employee Free Choice Act now. They then marched together to Sen. Arlen Specter's office to deliver that same message.

Watch the video above to see what happened next--then go here to tell Sen. Specter what you think.

Seafarers Thank their Union in Fighting Pirates

When working people have the choice to form unions, they can ensure that they receive the proper training to keep the safe on the job.

The American crew members of the Maersk Alabama - a ship recently hijacked by Somali pirates - fought back and won. They specifically cited their union membership as a reason for how they were able to beat the pirates.

Watch this new video about how the crew's union membership helped them fight the pirates, and then pass it on to your friends.

Click here: http://action.seiu.org/page/invite/pirates

Third Engineer John Cronan, a member of both the Seafarers International Union and the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, said this about their efforts:

"We are American seamen. We are union members. We stuck together, we did our jobs. And that's how we did it."

Show your support for every worker in America - and on the high seas - to have the free choice to form a union and have the right training that protects them on the job.

Click here to tell your friends about this great story:
http://action.seiu.org/page/invite/pirates

On Wednesday, over a hundred members of SEIU Local 1984 in New Hampshire joined state employees at the Concord Statehouse for a Tax Day protest against possible public employee layoffs and cuts in pay and benefits. Union members passed out "currency" representing the $6 billion dollars they generate a year in taxes, fees and purchases which boost the local economy.

The version of the State Budget recently passed by the House would impose a mandatory 2 percent "tax" on 51,000 public workers, pulling $100 million out of the New Hampshire economy even as local retailers are really struggling. See the impact this version of the NH state budget would have on public services.

Members who attended the event received stickers and certificates to use when they shop, to remind businesses that public workers are customers and taxpayers too.

More photos from the rally here.

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SEIU Local 1984, the State Employees' Association of NH (SEA), represents over 10,000 public and private sector workers in New Hampshire.

On Tuesday, March 31, Hollywood "West Wing" stars Martin Sheen and Bradley Whitford descended upon the nation's Capitol to join workers, union leaders and members of Congress for the unveiling of a new ad and grassroots campaign, "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act."

The campaign features 50-foot-high banners displayed on buildings throughout Washington, DC, and billboard trucks in states across the country. A different union member is pictured on each banner, accompanied by a quote about why the Employee Free Choice Act is imperative for all workers to restore their freedom to form unions and bargain for a better life.

One worker who told her story at today's star-studded event on the Hill was SEIU Local 105 member Roberta Ayala, the "face" adorning the banner splashed across SEIU's building on Massachusetts Ave. Roberta is a teacher's aide at a private organization in Denver, CO and works with teenagers with severe emotional problems, as well as non-verbal autistic children.

"I had always believed a union was the fairest way to work," says Roberta, whose father and grandfather were in unions. "I believed that if we had a union, this unfair treatment wouldn't be happening. I wanted my coworkers to be treated fairly so we could be better advocates for our students," said Roberta, detailing how she and the other employees in her school repeatedly went to management with their concerns on understaffing and increasing safety and training procedures to create a better learning environment for the kids--but were ignored. So they decided to form a union:

Eighty percent us signed cards supporting the union. But the school wouldn't recognize our decision. We filed for an election and that's when management began harassing and intimidating us. They even fired several teachers' assistants--making our staffing problems even worse.

[...] Management continued their intimidation tactics even after we won our election. The facility experienced a 70 percent turnover in staff because of the campaign waged by management...Imagine what it does to developmentally disabled children when they lose 70 percent of their caregivers.

The current system to form a union in the workplace is slanted in favor of employers who too often use harassment and intimidation to stop unions and keep workers from getting a fair deal. "Eighteen months after our election, we finally won our first contract," says Roberta. "We finally won a voice in classroom decisions. But it shouldn't have been this hard to win improvements for our students." Read Roberta's entire story here.

The experiences of workers like Roberta show the necessity of the Employee Free Choice Act. "Without the protections provided by the Employee Free Choice Act, workers looking to join unions are subject to harassment, disinformation, and dismissal, because of a system that is exploited by, and stacked in favor of management," said actor Bradley Whitford, stressing that we must not allow lawmakers to put their own job protection ahead of the protection of their working constituents.

Around the country, activists are gearing up for the April 6-17 congressional recess by planning stepped-up mobilization actions in cities around the country to build support for the Employee Free Choice Act--so stayed turned for details on upcoming actions in the coming week.

To learn more about the "Faces" campaign and see the workers' billboards, visit www.americanrightsatwork.org

This week Bill O'Reilly launched a baseless attack on members of the Service Employees International Union. O'Reilly smeared our 2 million hardworking men and women as "socialists" and "far-left extremists" trying to bring down "our capitalistic system."

SEIU members responded to O'Reilly by inviting the "news" man to walk a day in their shoes and find out what it's like to work in a real job. Watch this video response to Bill O'Reilly, and then sign our petition to O'Reilly to walk a day in the shoes of an SEIU member.

Since Bill O'Reilly is so sure that SEIU is bent on destroying the very fabric of our society, it'd be nice for him to meet some of our members and see who makes up our union.

Sign our petition to O'Reilly to spend a day with SEIU members here.

Let's dance.

That's what Vice President Joe Biden told union members today in Florida. What's got the Vice President ready to tango?

The Employee Free Choice Act.

Can you please take a minute to thank Vice President Biden for his support of the Employee Free Choice Act? Click here to read what Joe Biden said and write your thank you note.

Here's a short sample of what the Vice President said:

So, folks, that's why there's no one thing we have to do. This is all going to be difficult, and one of the most difficult things will be to reinstitute that basic bargain. And I think the way to do that is the Employee Free Choice Act.

So let me add to that and say that I have a simple, basic belief, one that we're going to work hard to put into action: If a union is what you want, a union you're entitled to have.
Now that's change we can believe in.

Click here to read the rest of what Vice President Biden said and write your thank you note.

The Vice President wants to dance. So, let's dance.

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.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its annual union membership report yesterday that showed an increase in union membership nationwide for 2008 -- the largest growth rate on record since 1983. Growth in SEIU -- 88,926 members -- accounted for nearly 21 percent of the national growth.

"More and more American workers are joining together in unions to claim a share in the prosperity they help to create, while working to improve the services they provide," said SEIU International President Andy Stern. "Let this be a sign to those who would tell us that 'now is not the time' for workers have a voice at work: you're not fooling anyone. America's working families know that unions are still the best path to economic prosperity for workers in the U.S."

Click here for the full BLS report. More details to come on working people who joined with SEIU, so stay tuned!

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.