Big Labor Cashing In

The Hill newspaper details Big Labor’s recent “renaissance” on Capitol Hill.

Labor officials acknowledge that 2004 was one debacle after another, giving many political analysts the material they had been waiting for to write obituaries of Big Labor’s political life.

But after taking credit for much of Democrats’ success in last year’s midterms, labor officials say they are again major players as the many Democratic presidential candidates jockey for union endorsements.

“We didn’t leave, but I don’t think we were as effective as we were after the 2006 elections,” said James Williams, general president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades [IUPAT].

“‘It’s partly a renaissance,” added Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) .

All of this happy talk comes as union membership is hitting record lows. The drop in membership has precipitated a legislative strategy predicated on changing the rules so it will be easier to force people to “join” and on legalizing millions of illegal aliens currently in the United States.