Politics: LaHood wants to make nice with union, is this a good sign for organized labor under Obama?
Posted in Politics with tags organized labor, Ray LaHood, unions, Wal-Mart on January 22, 2009 by Billy DennisI rather doubted that the Obama administration would play hardball with union government employees. So I guess I ought to be not surprised about this exchange captured in the New York Times’ article on today’s Ray LaHood confirmation hearings:
Mr. LaHood, in his testimony, made several important points. When Mr. Rockefeller asked about modernizing the air traffic control system, Mr. LaHood said his top priority was making labor peace with the controllers. He said he wanted the system run by people who “like going to work every day.”
The Bush administration imposed a contract on the controllers that eliminated some pay increases, required them to spend more hours at their work stations and made other changes. After the contract went into effect, many of those who were eligible for retirement left their jobs sooner than the agency had planned.
What say you, Peoria-area union members? Was LaHood pro union as a Congressman? Anti-union? Or was it sort of a wash? Give examples please.
Remember the 1980s? Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, setting the tone for the GOP’s attitude toward organized labor for the next 28 years. A Democrat held the White House for only eight of those years, and the Clintons had their noses buried to far up Wal-Mart’s butt to be considered really pro labor.
The combination of Obama int he White House and Democrats controlling Congress might, just might, bring about a more balanced relationship between labor and management, but labor has to make might like Hell to make sure the Dems don’t backslide, as they tend to do once they get in office.
